The Third Option
by rollingstones
Summary: A quirky love story, where cliffhangers leave your heart in your throat. I wrote this two years ago and am wondering if I should continue with a new story. Read and Review, muchas gracias
1. Dances with The Twins, save us all!

Hey sorry about this story disapearing for a while, I'll try to upload all of the original chapters, edited for grammar and stuff soon. I will also try to get some new chapters up really soon. 

-Me 

The Third Option 

Don't own Harry Potter or any of the related stuff. Got it? Great, all done with that. 

There they stood. Alone, or so they thought... there was something strange about this place. How he knew it, oh how he knew it too well. The rocks, the trees, the mountains, the sounds, the air, the smell of the earth. Oh how he loved it and how he missed it. He was safe there, much safer in comparison to where he was. She was there, by the trees, he could catch up with her if he ran, fast. Suddenly, something strange, unfamiliar popped up through the mist. The smooth chrome-like metallic finish made the building much bigger than it was in actuality. And as suddenly as she came she was gone, and a loud high pitched mysterious whistle pierced through the dusk air, killing any sanity he may have left in possession. A tall, brooding figure dragged slowly towards him. Making his way in a dreadfully dull pace. The figure was dark, tall and had the distinctive dress of a man of the cloth. The priest erupted with laughter by a nuclear reactor. Why a priest would be near a Nuclear Reactor anyway? What's wrong with these people?, Harry thought as he pounded his fist into the pillow and rolled over to a almost peaceful sleep. 

He'd had the same nightmare for years. Partially based on fact, and mostly just random images he remembered from the days past. Harry Potter was a world renowned auror, he defeated Voldermort, so why was he still scared of his own nightmares? 

After the battle, everyone rejoiced and called him a hero. In a way he was, but it still made his stomache turn. He felt the need to renounce what they called him, but they wouldn't listen to him. It was thought, that after the battle, everyone would be safe, protected, secure. It was too good to be true. Harry knew it, and he tried to tell everyone. It was dismissed as paranoia, post traumatic stress syndrome on his part. Like the former Minister of Magic , Cornelius Fudge, refused to believe the Dark Lord was back, the public refused to believe anything bad could ever happen to them again. Some were so fool-hearty that they didn't even lock there doors at night. 

It was like what was said in Harry's 5th year about Professor Umbridge, just because she isn't very nice, doesn't mean she is a dark wizard. The same rung true for the rest of wizard kind. Nobody dared to come right out and blame Harry, after all he did distroy the worlds greatest evil ever, but he didn't solve all of there problems. After some time, many people came to their senses and realized that it was ridiculous to expect a young man to solve all of their problems, let alone how magical he is. Harry, for his part, always has felt responsible for all of mankind. The burden of which was placed upon him since before he was born. He knew he would die in the service, maybe then, they would let the Boy who lived have some peace. 

Hermione and Ron, spent much of there time, after the war and since, trying desperately to help their friend. He wasn't visibly depressed, but they knew him the way the person reads a book. 

The world famous trio wound up becoming exactly what they acted out as students, Aurors. It wasn't as much adventure as there life at Hogwarts. 

As expected, Hermione got top marks at the academy. At the graduation party, thrown at the Ministry, Ron was quoted, " Better to have the genius on our side than against us." 

"Way to go Captain Obvious, now what color is my hair?" Harry, amazed as ever that Ron never failed to state the obvious. 

Ron never got the chance to reply as to the fact that he was put in an immediate headlock by George, " Awe... Come on Ronniekins, you got be more prepared than that. And as to your question Harry, its as black and unruly as ever, don't you ever try to tame it for the occasion?" 

"Why with eyes as green as a speckled toad, why should he?" Fred interrupted George, along with any chance for Harry to give a good comeback. 

At this point, Ginny punched her brother and snarled, "Why don't we all just forget this craziness from second year?" 

"Nonsense Poopy Pants!" Fred interjected as crazy tango music erupted throughout the hall, " Come on, save a dance for your favorite brother!" He didn't even wait for a reply, he just simply grabbed Ginny and sent her spinning into the middle of the floor. He would have took people out, if there had been anybody else dancing. 

"Leave it for Fred to steal the spot light," George said as he cast a glance over to the floor, " Shall we Hermione?" 

"Sorry George, I promised Ron first dance, I'll catch up with you later." All this was said as Hermione was led by a scowling Ron to the now, slightly alive crowd, with the exception of Fred and Ginny, who was trying desperately to get away. 

Fred then turned to Harry, "Shall we?" 

Harry gave him a quizzical look,, " I just graduated from the strictest Auror Academy in the World. You had better be kidding, I've learned too many curses to be hoodwinked into dancing with you." It was at this point that several girls ran screaming up to Harry asking him to dance at once. " Why don't you dance with Fred here, I'll dance with you and then we'll all switch around later?" Harry noted that Ginny was now successful free from George and was dancing some vaguely familiar man. 

The remainder of the night was spent drinking, dancing, and generally schmoozing. After midnight, Harry signaled to Hermione and Ron that he was leaving, chuckled to himself that it took them 8 years and three months to get together, and apparated home. 

Once he arrive there, he simply fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion. His dreams were haunted by an old castle, dripping in ivy and old gardens. And a familiar laugh.. echoing throughout the fog. 

Suddenly there she was, alone, as always. This time she was looking at someone else, someone else vaguely familiar. 

Harry awoke, swearing, and punched his pillow, when would this guilt all leave him? 

REVIEW!! 


	2. A method to my madness

Disclaimer:I'm going to be lazy/honest, I don't own anything you recognize, that goes for everything I write from now on. 

Chapter 2 

**A METHOD TO MY MADNESS **

One year after Harry's graduation from the Academy.... 

It was a wet, despairingly cold, bitter winter Monday. Okay maybe it was officially spring now but if you looked outside you were liable to shoot the calendar company. 

It was on this day that Harry woke up with the worlds worst hangover to discover two facts, 1.) it was Monday, and 2.) he had been drinking on a Sunday. He was a big believer type of man but, it seemed wrong to drink on that day. He muttered "Screw it," and he added with bitter satisfaction, "Ron was ten times as drunk as I was." 

His third discovery of the morning was that he was late. He was supposed to be at work 8:00, just to be early and get a good case if you needed a new one. Gladys, the women you ran the filing and sorting room was temperamental. Harry couldn't blame her, she had to get there at 8:00 no matter what. If you were brazen, you showed up at 8:30. Harry didn't fit either category, he was late, on Mondays at least. He tried to be on the time the rest of the week, it was easier then because he was busy during the day, slept well, and remembered to set the alarm. 

On today's most recent late day he was really screwed. Not only did he have to pick up a new case, but a new partner. Hermione and Ron were put together, they offered to let him join them, but he really didn't want to interrupt on their, well you could almost call it happiness. They weren't necessarily together, but everyone got the message they were almost exclusive when Larry Cartwheeler asked Hermione a little more friendly than necessary for a stapler, when Larry came back to work a week later, it was clear that Ron had gotten his message across loud and clear. A snit-bit of that happened goes something like "Ron, when I'm finished with you, it will take a cardiologist to get your testicles out of your brain." 

"Oh yeah Hermione, you think you so tough, I'll just call up McGonagle and post that one test you got, dare I say it, a less than perfect score on?" 

**SMACK!!** "Ron, I can't believe you! You promised that you would never bring that up, not even my parents know about that!" 

"You hit me?!?! Hahaa, you hit like a girl!" 

At this point Hermione stormed into what began to be called,_ the inferno, _their office. 

Hermione, embarrassed by the whole situation took it out on Ron, causing what they are infamous for, a row. The one lasted two cases long. The office quickly realized that to stay unscathed both emotionally and physically, you follow Harry's league and steer clear. 

If fact, by taking the job, Harry had hoped everyone would realize how normal he really was. They realized it, and the fact that he was smooth and cool, about everything. It seemed nothing could set him off, even when a Death Eater was rounded up and hauled into the office for questioning concerning some where abouts of a clan of Death Eaters. 

" I saw your parents dead body, I saw the dark lord fall, I saw him rise again, more victorious, I'll see him again." 

Ron, whose ears were as red as a tomato muttered,"Yeah you'll see him, burning in the 7th circle of hell." 

What nobody realized, was that that moment had bothered Harry more than he would let on. Why would he show his anger? What would be gain? Except more torment. He just repressed it along with the other bullshit he had to deal with and moved on to the next retarded thing to come along his way. 

So yes today was important. He got a new partner. As he aparated he wondered who the hell it would be. He had looked at the list of recruits, and hoped, oh god did he hope that it wasn't Colin Creevey's brother, Dennis. 

He had apparated right into his chair of his giant cubicle/office. It was sealed off from the other ones so that is was private and it was noise proof to keep things, confidential. 

"Ahhh, Harry Potter, so glad you could grace us with your presence." Said Mad-Eye Moody, he had been demoted or promoted (depending on how you look at it and who you talked to) to a office manager/trainer/general advice guy. " YOU! MISSED! YOUR APPOINTMENT!, but it's no matter, here, at the end of the list is someone you know, Harry Potter, meet your new partner, Virginia Weasley." 

Harry didn't intend to gasp. It was, well it was a shock. Who would have said, oh by the way, your going to be working with your almost ex-girlfriend, Minister of Magic's daughter and your best friend's sister. He was going to have to look out for her. If anything happened to her, well... Harry couldn't even bring himself to think about what her brothers would do to him.... 

Ginny, for her part took the news calmly, at least it was some one she knew. But she did know that she was going to have to work hard to prove herself the way she did for Quiditch. He was easy on her at first, but later realized that she could handle herself, hopefully it wouldn't be as difficult to let him simmer down this time around. 

"Well, okay, Gin, I mean, Virginia," Harry stammered but was interrupted by the woman herself. 

"Harry, call me Ginny, none of the fancy bull you clearly are uncomfortable with. And just another thing, please don't baby me, I can handle myself." 

"Okay Ginny, "Harry smiled," I won't baby you" Inside was shaking himself, I don't think so. 

Harry proceeded to take Ginny around the office, as they walked past the inferno, she asked "They found their own room to kill each other in?" 

It took Harry a moment to realize what she was talking about, then he he 


	3. Attack of the Teddy Bears

Disclaimer: Only own the plot, or what there is of one. 

By the way their is mild swearing in all my stories, so if that offends you, don't read... 

The Third Option 

Teddy Bears 

Tuesday dawned and Ginny woke up with a sense of dread mixed with happiness. No, NOT happiness. Well happiness at having a job that paid her well enough to move into her own London Flat and enough alcohol on the weekends to get completely shit-faced and forget the old days, of the war, of the day when she and Harry were almost.. Friends, that's all they would every be. At the time it was a shit or get off the pot situation and they hadn't had the exlax or guts to get together. But he had saved her, from a fate more terrible than... Shut the HELL UP WEASLEY and get to the shower, don't be late for work. 

Harry for his part had been up for hours. Seeing Giny again had some how taken him back to the old days at Hogwarts. Together, hurt yes, but together, she would not have to be hurt again. He wanted to stay there with her together forever in that cave, but it wasn't to be. He could see that now. Up on that same cave Sirus had hidden out in in Harry's third year. Ginny had been missing for days. Harry had even gone down to the Chamber with Ron looking for her. 

Everyone thought she was dead. Everyone assumed the Dark Lord had disposed of her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had even started to clean out her room. But Harry knew otherwise. 

One morning he had woken up, it was dark and stormy. He knew where she was and what to do. Without thinking twice to wake anybody up he left a note to Ron saying: 

"Ron I've gone to get Ginny I know where she is. An Austrian went to yodel up a mountain. Bark if your near Hogsmeade." 

Harry knew Ron being as thick as he can be wouldn't have a clue, but Hermione, good old Hermione, would know exactly where to find him. 

Stop. Harry wouldn't relive it all. All that he had been surpressing since he was 17, what good would it do. He got out of bed and went to get ready for work. 

As he stumbled into their office, he noticed Ginny was, researching on the _Magiputer2020. _It still cracked Harry up that Wizards would use Muggle things, but change the names so they could avoid much connection to the other world. The other world, to which half of them hereditarily belonged. 

Neither people in the office commented on what they had done the night previously. In fact they barely said hello. 

It was because of a case they had been working on. It was, compelling. Apparently drugs weren't just a Muggle problem. A gang of wizards fashioning themselves "The Recos'" were starting a sort of underground Mafia. Literally, somehow they had been trying for weeks to rob Gringotts, but kept failing dismally due to the well, dragon and unmentionable enchantments of the goblins. 

Suddenly an owl appeared baring a box and a note, "What is it Harry?" 

"oh, how could I forget, muttered Harry. " Um... well remember what Ron sent me last wensday? That bogart they turned into a dementor and well, HIM?" 

"How could I forget, nearly killed me until it turned into a dementor." Ginny said growing pale. 

"Well I contacted some connections, and well, I got something special for him," Harry said, as a mischievous grin broke across his face. 

"No, your kidding, this is too great! Spiders!" Ginny exclaimed. 

" Actually this is the plan," Harry explained as he open the box with his wand, it was full of teddy bears, upon closer inspection, Ginny recognized the insignia of her twin brothers company, 

"No Harry, those already traumatized him as a toddler, are you sure about this?" 

"Yes, this is serious, he gave us our two greatest fears, and then laughed about it saying it was a joke, lets get him back. 

Hermione and Ron were late to the office which was there custom for Tuesday mornings. They had a Monday night drinking ritual. What happened was they left the office, and hit their three favorite bars, always winding back up at Harry's house, which they rented the top floor from him and Harry could hear glass breaking and laughter all night long. Sometime he joined them but usually no, it wasn't his favorite thing to do, watch his two best friends, um... neck. 

Quietly, Harry and Ginny crept out of there weird cubicle, magicked office and opened the door to Ron and Hermione's. They laid out tons of Teddy bears. Under the desks, in the rubbage bin, in the hat that was left hanging on the coat rack. 

Kinglsy Shacklebot knew they were up to something, they could tell by the look that was on his face as they tip-toed back to their office. However, Tonks gave them a thumbs up. 

Fifteen minutes was all the office had to wait, until all hell broke loose in such reckless abandon that a nuclear catastrophe would have been more welcomed. 

Ron, hungover, and Hermione, clearly stilled buzzed had slumped into the office, checked their time cards, and swung open the doors of their office. 

Immediately the screams started. High pitched male screams and an exasperated swearing came as a added harmony. 

Crashing was heard. Everyone in the office turned as Harry and Ginny ran to the door and kept laughing. They door bust open and twenty spiders skidded out. Hermione could be seen inside trying the curse them away into oblivion. This only made them bigger and more terrifying . Even Ginny was starting to get a little scared and started inching her way closer to Harry, which he didn't mind at all. In fact, he extended an arm out to hold her, which she subconsciously accepted. With his other hand he waved his wand lazily so that a barrier spell was placed on the spiders, so they couldn't leave the room. 

Ron was, on top of the chair, fighting with all his strength not to look like a five year old. Hermione was practically crying with frustration. 

A familiar pop echoed as Fred and George showed up to witness their supposedly ten minutes of glory, which everyone could tell was going to multiply into hours of joy, or exhaustion, depending on what side of the door frame your were on. 

"And this, is our Aurors department always working hard, and always giving a hundred and ten percent to their job..." 

"Oh crud", Harry had forgotten that the ministry was giving tours to school children and faculty from Hogwarts. It was Dumbledore, McGonagle, and Snape, along with about 20 fifth years. Oh, and the minister of magic Himself, Mr. Arthur Weasley. 

Oh crud put this mildly. 

Arthur's, neck turned red, Dumbledore started laughing, McGonagle started laughing then covered it up with a twitching frown and Snape, well his lip curled, and his eyes lit up in a sort of triumph. 

"I told you, I told you both, he was no good, neither was the lot of them. I knew he was lucky with those few shots, I knew It!" Snape was excited now. The screams from the office were becoming more and more dominate. 

"Silence!" Dumbledore spoke and everyone looked at him and quieted. Even the Twins had the grace to look almost ashamed. 

" What happened?" Was it just a question? It sounded like Dumbledore was punishing them again at school. 

Shush Weasley, your not at school anymore. They can't punish you, but dad can. Despite all of this she spoke up. " Well, sir, last week and unamusing joke was pulled on Harry and myself and, well, we needed some welcome revenge. And that's just what we did." 

Dumbledore reached and picked up one of the spiders, it turned back into a teddy 


	4. Attack of the Teddy Bears, pt 2

bear, "Excellent, this is very good magic, who produced these?" 

" Fred and George" Harry muttered. 

Come hell or high water, Fred and George never let anyone go down alone or hog the spotlight. We weren't aware that selling these today for testing would interrupt your tour sir, we are very sorry." Fred said this fast, and looking directly into Dumbledores eyes. 

"I can see that those honorary diplomas were indeed well deserved. I am dearly impressed, how on earth did you manufacture these?" 

"Um, well sir, George offered "It was actually our first prank we ever pulled on Ron, when we were, um, probably seven." 

"Wow indeed, well Arthur, you have some very intelligent children, shall we continue?" 

"Yes, let's." Was all Arthur could manage to say as his conflicting emotions(Anger and Pride) took hold of him. 

Hermione and Ron, realized that the bears,(changed back) couldn't be removed from their office looked murderous. 

"Harry, shall we go and check out that lead? For the rest of the week maybe?" 

" Yes Ginny, Lets get out of here!" Harry added as he summoned something green from their office and a Portkey, which the quickly activated and took to the south of France. 

I would like to thank my wonderful reviewers. And please if you read it leave a review! Please, it's the only feedback I get. 

Muchos Gracias Sr.'s and Sra.'s! 


	5. Out Take of Attack of theTeddy Bears

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or Chaser. 

I couldn't resist writing this, I'm not sure if I'll write from Ron and Hermione's perspective again, but I couldn't help myself and besides, its my story. 

Out -take of chapters 3&4! 

The Monday night drinking club had begun when Ron and Hermione first had a competion to see who could drink the most about a year ago. It was a way to make getting up Monday morning worth it. However it also made Tuesday morning hell. 

Usually they woke up, and Hermione had some pepper-up potion on hand to ease their hangovers somewhat, (nothing really made it go away, expect for some American Muggle stuff called Chaser, but Ron didn't trust anything Muggle.) The only draw-back to pepper-up potion was that you steamed in the ears for several hours afterward, for Ron this was a draw-back. It gave the impression that his entire head was on fire. This wasn't a cool thing, no matter how much it made Hermione laugh. 

Last night had been particularly, um, drunk. After the duo had gotten off work, they offered Ginny and Harry to go out with them, Hermione still hadn't given up on those two getting together. Ron knew better, his little sister had better taste in men. Even if she went out with absolute losers, in Rons opinion. Hermione had said to him, "Ron, in your opinion, Jesus Christ himself wouldn't be good enough for you sister!" 

Well Ron had no argument for that, come on, the man is dead, and Ginny is young, she can't wait around until he returns. 

Last night they got off work around five o'clock. They had gone out to dinner, because it's Hermione and Ron's rule not to drink on an empty stomache. They hadn't even argued once. Somehow they had been getting along very well since graduation. Ron realized it was because they had wound up spending a lot of time together. He knew that Hermione couldn't look stupid or vulnerable in front of people, she just couldn't handle it. He supposed that after a while, you get to know some-one. She knew what made him tick and vice versa. 

So they were at the restaurant. They ordered their usual. Hermione and Ron rarely varied what they ate on Monday nights, they knew what made the drinking better. 

They had a hard time convincing Mrs. Weasley that they weren't becoming alcoholics. To be an alcoholic, you must use alcohol as a crutch, they used it as an excuse to get along in public. Call that what you want, they didn't care. 

Hermione looked across the table at Ron. He was a good looking man. He had finally grown into his ears around 5th year. And then finally come to his senses around the end of sixth year. Then he finally got the courage to tell Harry and him and Hermione about a month after that. He was a good looking man she thought to herself, the best part about it was that he wasn't the least bit aware of it. There will always be something about a man who can charm you with a smile, make you laugh with a joke, and never even realize that it wasn't needed, you'd stay with him if he was a death mute. But the personality mattered to Hermione, and she loved it. 

She herself wasn't bad looking, Ron told her hourly she was a goddess. Harry even admitted it a few times. If she actually put some effort into her looks she could be a model. But that wasn't Hermione. That's what Ron loved about her, you never had to worry about what she was wearing, she looked good, but she wouldn't embarrass you with something too showy or nerdy. You also always knew where you stood with her, if you paid attention. She showed her emotions in small ways, like a hug here, a touch there, and laugh or a wink. She was only overly expressive when he wished she wouldn't be, when she was angry. When she was angry, it used to scare him, now it only made him all the more in love with her. The only time she wasn't a loaded time bomb was when she had had a couple of drinks and could finally relax and say to hell with it all. 

After there food was eaten, and the check had come, and they had argued on whether Hermione would let Ron pay or not they were off to the races, well sort of. 

They went to the new trendy bar, which changed every week and always had a name like polka DOT or Seven to Heaven, the one you couldn't get drunk it because it would become a write-up in witch weekly. Admittedly Monday night wasn't a huge night for the London nightlife, but there was always that community of heirs and heiresses, actors, and wannabes that faked it until they made it that were always up for a good time. Some how after the war, the trio had found a new since of celebrity that Harry denied, Hermione ignored, and Ron basked in until the other two had savagely verbally assaulted him. There they drank the trendy drinks, danced trendy dances, and generally socialized with what would have been called in school, the incrowd. 

The second bar they hopped over to was an old standard, where they allowed themselves to get buzzed at. Drunk enough to have fun, but still be in control. This was their old standard, the Hogshead, the place they all would go after classes in seventh year. Dumbledores brother, Aberforth ran it. It wasn't trendy, it wasn't hip-happening. But it was tradition. The only reason they didn't get drunk there was because, 1 Dumbledore would find out, they still looked upon him as a favorite uncle you don't want to scold you and 2 they still had to apparate back to London, which you did not want to be drunk doing this dangerous thing. They rarely would stop over to Madame Rosemerta's, The Three Broomsticks, because they ran into a lot of upper ministry officials, and old teachers, which they would rather leave those people with favorable impressions of them, not the crazy, in love, loud drunks they became. 

Lastly, they finished it off publicly at the Leaky Cauldron. Here, they were graunteed enough privacy not to be embarrassed, but public enough so that 1 you didn't feel guilty like you were hiding something, and 2 you still made the pages of Witch Weekly's society pages. Ron and Hermione weren't into the "celebrity image", but it went with the job, being Harry's friends, and being a wild couple, even if it was just once a week. 

Here at the Leaky Cauldron, old Tom, who had taken to them like a favorite Nephew and his wife (even though they were no where near getting married, at least in one of their books)and loved talking to them late at night when they were drunk. Because they could be rather funny reminiscing about things that Tom had only heard rumors about that had happened at Hogwarts, thing that where the Truth was more unbelievable than anything. 

After leaving Tom's, it was a short Taxi ride over to their rented flat on top of Harry's house, and they were home free to cut loose. They drank, and then laughed, and then kissed, and somehow everything always lead to getting it on. Which neither minded, even though Ron was sure Harry could hear and was always embarrassed to see him the next morning. 

The only reason they stayed there was because Hermione refused to leave Harry alone "in that huge house." He refused to sell it and insisted on working on "fixing it up" almost every Sunday after noon, because he rarely drank on those days, except for wine with the Weasley's Weekly Supper. 

Ron and Hermione had passed out around four and hadn't woken up until 7. There was no way the would be any where near presentable in time to make it to work on time. 

"Hermione, why did you let me drink so much!?!," Ron bellowed out of the shower as she fixed her hair. 

"What're you complaining about, I'm still buzzing, I won't even be sick until this after noon." 

" Oh shut it, you know perfectly well that you take the stupid Muggle medicine, and just get hyper in the mornings." 

They bickered the entire way into the office, if they hadn't been, perhaps they would have been more observant. 

" What the fuck?" Ron muttered as he stepped into the office. Completely covered in teddy bears. 

"Really Ron, this pranking with Harry has gone way way to far. Go to him now and apologize and draw a truce. It's the only way Ginny or I will have any peace." She said this as 


	6. Outtake pt2

she slammed the door shut, and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. 

She laughed as he shrugged and went to sit down, still holding her onto her with one hand and grasping what consciousness he had with the other. 

She was sitting on his lap when he reached over and picked on of the bears up. "You know love, its rather funny that he chose his revenge with Teddy bears I mean, we sent a bogart after him, that was rather a low blow... what the , AHAHHHHHHHHHHH" The cute, adorable, innocent teddy bear morphed, at rapid speed into an eight-legged- hairy, crazy moving spider! 

Hermione, who wasn't terrified of spiders, was more than a little unnerved as spiders crawled out of every nook and craney of the room. Hermione was the first to realize that the Teddy bears were becoming spiders. 

Ron, was no help in getting rid of them, he grabbed a base-ball bat, (which was the only muggle sport he whole-heartedly enjoyed, particularly the Boston Red Sox! Excellent.) which he then proceeded smack at random objects from far away on top of the desk, the whole wile screaming like a pansy. 

Hermione was a different story. She was a champ and soon discovered that stomping them really didn't do the job, they were too large. So she began to try a variety of jinxes and hexes, which only affected what they looked like, what damage they did on the furniture and how badly they scared Ron. Eventually she began screaming as well, but only in desperate frustration. 

The door to the office opened, "Salvation" Ron muttered. Boy was he wrong. Harry poked his head in, muttered "_Quilderio_" and backed out of the doorway to give the office a front row view of the couples embarrassment. 

It was at that time that, the minister of magic, Hermione's almost in-law and a man she had known since childhood and deeply respected, chose the opportunity to make his presence known. Along with Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagle and Severus Snape, and a bunch of school children who had grown up hearing about Harry, Ron and Hermione's exploits of Hogwarts which were now legendary. 

"Gonna Kill... " she muttered to herself, and just kept on actively avoiding the starting and growing crowd around her usually nice and orderly office. 

Ron was rather embarrassed himself, his father seeing him being wuss, but his fear over-ruled all other emotions and all he did to contain it was stop the screaming. 

"Ron, will you bloody shut-up?!? If your not going to make yourself useful here at least leave some space in the room for me to think." 

"Hermione, look out, it's gonna get you!" Ron bellowed this. 

What came next was either an act you true love or absolute insanity. Ron, in an act of desperation to save Hermione from the killer spiders, leaped from the desk, landing on top of her taking the "blow" from the baby spiders which were now hatching from egg sacks that were grown on the sealing from the Teddy Bears and enchanted to grow at an ultra speed. 

"Ron, what on Gods green earth are you doing?" Hermione choked this out as she desperately tried to breathe from a full grown man landing on top of her. 

"I was saving you, they were gonna kill you. If I hadn't seen it,..." 

Hermione looked into Ron's eyes and instantly recognized this wasn't just about that spider, it was a flashback brought on by the extreme stress of the situation. Back in the war, the final battle that had occured Ron had leapt out of nowhere to catch a hex that was supposed to be for Hermione in the chest. He still had the scar from it, a ovally, red slight bump that you only noticed if you looked carefully. They were all scarred from those days, she knew it. She also knew that she and the others were still just beggining to deal with the past. 

Be that as it may it was unexcusable for Harry to pull a prank like this in the office, absolutely unprofessional. She was appalled, yet slightly amused. However, embarrassing her in front of the whole office... 

A couple of conversations were started out the door, and Hermione realized that not only Harry was behind this but so were Ginny and the Twins, she would get them back for this, she would not lose this game she was determined to stay out of in the first place. She would win and it wouldn't be pretty. 

Review 


	7. Mr and Mrs Black, you mad, mad Hippy

The Third Option  
  
Chapter 6: Mr. and Mrs. Black  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, plot I do however...  
  
Thanks to all of my reviewers, your excellent.   
  
**********************************************************************************************************  
  
Ginny walked down the hall, unsure of what to think. There was no lead in France, it was Spain, not France, Harry knew that, what the hell is wrong with him? In fact, where the hell had he taken them?   
  
Harry, for his part, knew exactly what he was doing, almost exactly. He knew Hermione would be looking for them the first chance she got, god how he knew it. He was almost terrified, nothing really scared him anymore, except for that look Hermione got in her eye when she was determined. He had witnessed full force what she was capable of and that was scary, despite that nothing really scared him,except Ginny. Ginny definitely was scary.  
  
So what the hell was he doing here with her? What would Ron do to him? And the other Weasley brothers, they were also definitely scary. Absolutely terrifying. Other than those things, was he scared of anything else? No he was Harry Potter. Harry Potter, haha, that always got a chuckle out of him, Famous Harry Potter. Haha.  
  
"Reservations sir?" A man at the counter asked in his most polite English.   
  
This snapped both Harry and Ginny out of their reverie. Ginny glanced at Harry, this was his plan, not hers, she was going to let him lead, almost. Harry had such a blank look in his eyes, how that man survived anything in the world was beyond her. She quickly snapped her wand and nudged Harry in the shoulder. Luckily, he wasn't a complete moron.  
  
" Reservations, yes, for a Mr. and Mrs. Black."  
  
"Hmmm...Hmm..." This idiot was taking forever with the computer list... "Yes, we have a Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Black. Your in room, 45A. Here are your keys, how long will you be staying with us?"   
  
"We're not sure yet, are we darling?' Ginny hoped Harry could act, otherwise this was going to get difficult.  
  
"No, is that a problem sir?"  
  
"OH not problem at all, breakfast is served 6:30 to 9:00 and the list of dinner times are in the room, if you choose to eat here."  
  
"Thank you much!" Ginny chirruped before Harry could interject.  
  
She had to give him a little credit, he wasn't as bad as he seemed he would be at acting.  
  
"Um.. I hate to be rude, but where is your luggage?"The man from behind the counter looked unsure and suspicious.  
  
It seemed Harry was completely ready for this. " They are being delivered later, you know customs, have to check everything."   
  
"Of course."  
  
"Come along lovely." Harry spoke before the man could ask anymore questions, leading Ginny to the elevator.  
  
Elevator, Ginny was getting slightly panicked. She wasn't afraid of Muggle things, but why use them all of the time? Stairs were wonderful. "Harry, I think I'll take the stairs."  
  
"Oh, are you scared of elevators?" Harry wrapped his arms around her before he could stop himself, "Is my little, darling wife scared?"   
  
"No, and don't touch me you loser!" Ginny screamed shrilly as she began to count to 100, trying to calm down.  
  
The elevator beeped and let them off at the third floor. The third floor what was this thing with three's Ginny wondered.  
  
As they walked down to their room, Ginny realized that they would have to make up another bed, how would they explain that to the maid? What were they going to do?  
  
Harry was already ahead of Ginny, " Here's the game plan, we cannot magic a new bed, it would be too suspicious, we'll have to share it, sorry. The second thing is we'll have to..."  
  
"What is this? I thought you promised not to wear that hideous thing?" Ginny was outraged, that ugly thing. When did he have time to grab it?  
  
"Now Ginny, this is my lucky case jacket, I never leave the office on a case without it." He was pleading.   
  
"Fine, she snapped, the remembered something. "Harry, we're staying for a week, like we said in the office, that's when everyone expects us back."  
  
"Oh, your right, well call down.." He turned his back to her and was doing something strange with his wand.  
  
"Harry, what are you doing?"   
  
"Fixing to get our suitcases delivered from customs." He replied with a devilish grin as he moved to reveal two large, green suitcases.   
  
"Oh and where are mine?"  
  
"Yours," what was she talking about harry wondered? "Ginny, there's two here, one for each of us."  
  
"No, I'm sorry, but I never travel with one suitcase, I need two, its what I need."  
  
"Oh, um.. no problem."  
  
"Don't think I'm crazy, but any self respecting women will not travel without enough clothing to last twice as long as she is gone."  
  
"Ginny, I wasn't judging you, but what would we do to require you with all of the clothes?"  
  
"No Comment."  
  
"Tell it to the peanut gallery."  
  
"You would be the expert in that department, Mr. Witch Weekly."  
  
"I thought our alias's were Mr. and Mrs. Black."  
  
"Don't play coy, you know that you've been in every one of their issues since you turned 14, doesn't that bother you, doesn't it affect you at all? Does anything for that matter? You act like nothing has ever happened and everything's turned out just the way it was supposed to."  
  
"There are worse things than being in the paper..." Harry said in a brooding sort of way.  
  
"I know Harry, I lived through them as well, I've lost people close to me too."  
  
"But you still have your family, all of that was taken away from me before I could even talk, do you really think you know what that feels like, what kind of pain that causes? NO ONE KNOWS, no one knows what I dream about at night, no one knows what happened, what really happened, and maybe it's better that way, you know, maybe that way I can just fade away, and all of this living legend bullshit will go away."  
  
"Harry, I know what happened, I was there, I understand." Ginny was starting to get frightened by him, she'd never seem him become so unnerved, even at the funerals.  
  
"No Ginny you don't, you can't,.."  
  
"HARRY JAMES! How dare you tell me what I can and what I can't comprehend. I WAS THERE, I SAW WHAT YOU DID! YOU DON'T NEED TO KEEP HIDING BEHIND THE LIES!"  
  
"YES, YOU WERE THERE, but you have none of the guilt to carry, you didn't kill him, you didn't see that look in his eyes, that way he reached for me. You didn't feel my anger, my hatred, was pain. And I don't want you to. I saved you, and now you can live a happy life, I saved you so you could go and be something wonderful like you deserve, not become an auror, that was my job, to keep the world safe for you. I saved the world, not you me, not for the millions of innocent people, I saved it for you! And now, now, I have to live with what I did and the reasons I did it. The guilt, that I didn't give a shit about all the people, all I cared about at the time was you. Whether that was completely wrong I don't know. You just keep coming back, and I can't let you get hurt. Not by me, not by anyone."   
  
Harry had his back to her now, but she knew he was crying. Slowly, so slowly she didn't even realize she was doing it, she went to him and put her arms around him from behind. She said nothing, it was one of those situations that needed no words, just time. Here in front of her was a man that had to grow up and mature way before his time. He, at such a young age, too young of an age, was given the responsibility and destiny of all of mankind, to do with what he pleased. To protect, to save, to love. She stood there, holding him until he was finished, then it came again.   
  
"Ginny, why do you think I was chosen? What do I have that nobody else does?"  
  
"Harry, you were chosen for your heart. There's no question about it. Your not the nicest man in the world, nor the smartest. But a wizards power doesn't come from from politeness, it comes from how he feels his emotions. Voldemort was evil, and always felt that with such force that he could do any evil. Dumbledore, he's too kind, he's like the shepherd of wizard kind. Takes care of us all. He can do anything. You Harry, you feel everything through your heart. Everything you've gone through, heartships, adversity, pain, helplessness, disappointment' I believe you went through it all to prepare you for something. That something was saving the world."  
  
" I didn't want to save the world right then, all I wanted to save was you, then I did, but now I still don't know why.   
  
Dumbledore told me, when I was in fifth year, that I possess something that is locked in a room in the department of mysteries. It is at once, more wonderful and terrible than death, and is stronger than forces of nature. He said it was my heart that saved us all at the ministry. But Dumbledore didn't realize how stupid I am. Why is it that I always feel responsible for the world, that what happens is my fault. That I have to save everybody?"  
  
"You don't Harry, you don't have to do anything you don't want to."  
  
Harry laughed "That's a lie. I didn't want to lose my parents, but I did. I didn't want to lose Sirius. BUT I DID! AND THAT'S ALL MY FAULT. HE DIED BECAUSE OF ME! Harry whispered the next part, " And everyone thinks I'm some big hero for it. I may have saved you all that night somehow, but the man I wanted to save the most, I failed. That's why I had to save you. We became close, close friends, and I came to confide in you, and because we became close, he came after you. AND it was all my fault, my fault! I saved you so you could live the life so many other people couldn't."  
  
Ginny caught herself crying now. "Harry, you saved me, but you can't have going off to live some fairy tale life. Our lives are not fairy tales. Their Shakespearean tragedies if anything. We cannot win maybe, but then again, we can survive. We all survived. We all have to move on. You can't stay trapped in the guilt, that you don't deserve. You always have given all you can for other people, no give yourself the same courtesy and enjoy your life."  
  
" But ever since I was born, people all have called me the tragic little hero.."  
  
"Then don't be the tragic little hero anymore Harry, be happy. Be alive."  
  
Harry sat on the corner of the bed, rubbing his eyes, " your right, I know your right, but I can't help but feel there's something left for me to do before I can. Something I need to finish."  
  
Ginny grew pale, "he's not alive anymore is he?"  
  
"No, he's gone for good, but that doesn't mean nobody else is going to try to be like him. What will I do then, in 20 years when someone else up and decided to be like him. What will I do then?"  
  
"Harry that won't be your problem"  
  
"Fine, so what are we going to do about these robbers, the Reco's is it?"  
  
"I believe so, Harry are you sure your done, if you wanna keep talking..."  
  
"I'm fine Gin, here's what we need to do."  
  
The rest of the night was uneventful spent discussing what had happened related to the case and what they should do,except for when their luggage miraculously turned up in the middle of the night, packed with everything they needed for tomorrow. Ginny and Harry agreed to spilt the bed, however uncomfortable it made them, they split it.  
  
  
  
"Harry... Harry.... It's time to get up." Ginny voice woke him up. Gin's voice, impossible, why would she be waking him up?  
  
"Harry, get up! HARRY!" Ginny bellowed.  
  
"What, what, what Gin?"  
  
"It's 9:30, I think it's a good time to get this show on the road, don't you agree?" She was dressed, and ready for something. He, Harry was not ready, sleep sounded good, which he rolled over and did.  
  
A pillow came out of nowhere a smacked him square in the face.  
  
"Ginny," Harry rolled over and sat on her as he proceeded to smack her with the pillow, repeatedly, in a joking manner, over exaggerating every motion, just to tease her. She screamed, in a hysterically laughing sort of way, unsure of what was going on.   
  
Suddenly, their faces were inches apart. She wanted, now, to kiss him. Harry knew that if he kissed her, well, "I should take a shower, get ready, we're going out."  
  
He rolled off the bed reluctantly, and walked into the bathroom, calmly. He started the shower, and proceeded to wash his face with cold water, what in the hell did he almost do?  
  
Ginny sat up and just spaced out, lost in the weird thoughts that definitely were not supposed to be about Harry.  
  
  
  
Later, when they went out, they finally spoke, " So where are we going Mr. Black?"  
  
"Well Mrs. Black, we must pay a visit to a dear old friend, I hope everything's going well for him."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"You'll see," Harry said as they climbed into a taxi, "You'll remember him well. I sure do."  
  
" It is somebody from school?" Ginny inquired.  
  
"In a matter of speaking, yes."  
  
"Who do we know around here who is from school..." Ginny we drawing a blank.  
  
"Malfoy, Harry is it Malfory, cause I have nothing to say to him."  
  
"Neither do I, but we know this man, very well."  
  
The taxi stopped and they were let out in front of a very beautiful Spanish town house. The decorative bars on the windows, the beautifully embellished front door. Who did she know who could live in such luxury? Surely it wasn't anyone Spanish. They all didn't decorate the outsides of their houses like this, they focused more on the inside.  
  
Harry led her up the stairs to the door and knocked. A tall manservant opened the door, "Oh, come on in."  
  
They were led into a beautifully simple room. It was decorated in very simple taste. A tall, pale, prematurely aged face glanced up at them in a very welcome smile.  
  
It was Remus Lupin.  
  
"Why, its about time you two." Remus said in a matter of fact way.  
  
"Hi Remus," Harry shook his hand and Ginny gave him a hug.  
  
"So this is where you disappeared to, not a bad place Remus. What have you been up to?"  
  
"Well Ginny, that's why your here."  
  
Harry spoke up next, " Remus, tell me where they are."  
  
"Harry I don't know, we lost the account in Monaco. However, there are rumors of them staying in Ireland."Are you two talking about Youknow, I mean Voldemort?" The tremor in her voice was obvious.  
  
"No Ginny, not him, McNair. He's been trying to restart the Darklords following. That's why he had organized this group called the Reco's. Voldemort is gone, I can assure you that, but McNair is dangerous, and we need to track him down. When Voldemort left, McNair was left with nothing. So Remus, where was he staying?"  
  
Harry and Ginny remained and exchanged stories and talked with Remus for the rest of the morning. He seemed reluctant to let them leave but none-the-less, Remus gave them the address.  
  
"This is the place of his cousin? You have got to be kidding me." Ginny was staring in disbelief.  
  
"Yea, answered Harry, just as shocked, " I suppose we gotta go in."  
  
"You first Harry."  
  
The house was, well if you called it a house, it was a shack. A big shack, a big blue and pink, American Hippy leftover of a shack. Harry was sure that the smoke coming out of the windows was not a fire.  
  
He cautiously knocked, the door fell down. "Hello?"  
  
"Come on in, but fix that blasted door first. Its always falling down." A high pitched voice answered.  
  
They did as told and stepped into the oddest house every in creation. Ginny, who was raised with wizards, was used to the eccentric, the bizarre and the downright ass-backwards. This, this was mad-crazy.  
  
Every inch of the house was covered with tacky knick-knacks, odd colored streamers, and mixed matched furniture. Even plants were growing inside the house, a variety of them, and you can only guess which ones were the favorites. Stacks of newspapers were all over, stacked in such a manner that it made a path through the house. They followed it through the house until they came to clearing on which a strange little old man sat cross-legged, smoking and looking completely blissful.  
  
"How may I help you?"  
  
"We would like to ask you some questions. Is that okay with you?"Harry looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Why me, ask Bananhahaa, he'll let us know how okay it is."  
  
"BANANHAHAAA, BANANHAAHAA, WHAT IS FOOSEBALL!?!?!"  
  
Ginny mouthed weirdo to Harry and Harry instinctively moved closer to her.  
  
"YES! YES! YES!"  
  
"We can ask you some questions?" Ginny looked excited, even though she didn't really understand how this man could help them.  
  
"No, I just saved hundreds on my car insurance bills!, I will now ask if I can answer some asking from yours..."  
  
The mans eyes were crossing. Shit , he was not up to a cross-word puzzle, let alone a questioning.  
  
"What is it that you think you should have know?" Harry was forcibly reminded of the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. He made a metal note not to eat any bread here.  
  
"We are wondering if you know anyone by the last name McNair?" Harry barely breathed, suddenly chickens came charging through the room.  
  
"YES!"   
  
Ginny got excited, "you do know him?"  
  
"YES, the chickens are coming, that means that the rain is here."  
  
They watched as the man proceeded to change into an aquasuit and waddle out of the house.  
  
"YES YES YES!" the man was clearly mad and Ginny was refusing to hear any more of it.  
  
"Let's go Harry, I can't take any more of this." She made to leave but he reached out and stopped her.  
  
"Let's follow him, and see what he does."  
  
"The man is bonkers.."  
  
"So is Dumbledore."  
  
"Fine, we'll follow him."  
  
They crept out of the house, following the newspaper path. The man was sitting in the middle of his immaculately groomed backyard. It was impeccable, royalty couldn't ask for more.  
  
He sat there, standing out clearly, quietly.  
  
"Maybe we should go Ginny." Harry suggested.  
  
Then, out of no where the man spoke in a voice that wasn't his own. Dark, Deep and powerful.  
  
"You want to know about The Reco's?"  
  
Ginny paused for a moment, "Why yes we are, do you know anything about them?"  
  
The man started laughing hysterically. It reminded Harry of something."Why yes I do, I founded that organization."  
  
It was Harry who found his voice next,"Do you mind if we ask you a few more questions, pertaining to them?"  
  
"Go for it, if you know what to ask."  
  
"How are you connected the them now?"  
  
"I was a safehouse from the dropping off point to England. They hid out here while waiting for the green light to go back."  
  
"Back where?"  
  
"Back to the continent."  
  
"Which continent?"  
  
"Africa, but they don't go there anymore, they were busted up years ago by Voldemort. Now they stay here for the hell of it. I think."  
  
"You think or you know?" Ginny was getting impatient.  
  
"I think I know." He offered with a grin that was suggestive.  
  
Ginny was fuming now, "I don't care what you think, I want to know what you absolutely know." She now had him in a headlock.  
  
"GINNY, get off of him, jeezim!" Harry pulled her off and offered and apologetic smile to the old man.  
  
"What a women you got, its good to see a strong couple, not one ruling another, you'll be happy together."  
  
Before Ginny could stop herself, she blurted out, "We're not together."  
  
The old man just smiled and said, "Sure your not."  
  
"Listen you two, I'll tell you this much, everything is not what it seems. A certain gilded one is not as insane as he seems."  
  
"Do you mean Gilderoy Lockhart?"  
  
"I might."  
  
"Who are you really, old man?" Ginny couldn't help herself, she had to know.  
  
"Me? I am Archibald, Archibald Rico Riddle."  
  
Harry was shocked, "Riddle, are you related to Tom Riddle?   
  
"The same, was my younger brother, back before he disappeared and came back as some weird curse-happy mad-man. What a shame on my family's memory he is."  
  
After that weird display the man went back to his ramblings and proceeded to light random parts of the news paper surrounding his house on fire. Laughing like a maniac.  
  
All Ginny could say was oh and they went back to the hotel.  
  
"Harry, are you sure that man is who he said he was?"  
  
"Yes Gin, I am."  
  
"But he's mad."  
  
"And Voldemort wasn't?"  
  
"True, but what will we do know?"  
  
"Well, what can we do, we have to follow the clues, let's go back to England and find out what old Professor Lockhart's been up to."  
  
  
  
Please review, this chapter was kind of werid to write, it will help things run smoother... Upcoming, after Gilderoy's interview,the final battle, all that happened. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and please, don't be afraid to review. 


	8. Speaking of the Devil

Disclaimer: Don't own HP and all that jazz.  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: Speaking of the Devil  
  
The dorm was quiet, too quiet. Ginny knew something was wrong from the moment her head hit the pillow; something was in the castle that shouldn't be. Should I get up?, Ginny wondered. Should I lay still? All of the other girls in the dorms were peacefully snoozing, as usually. Ginny, usually didn't sleep well. All of her dreams were plagued recently, since Voldemorts second uprising, with memories of the chamber, the acts she committed against her will, and what she worried most about. What Voldemort would do to her family, to mankind. This would be a normal worry of anyone living in those days, but to everyone in the castle, they were safe. As long as Dumbledore was there, nothing bad could happen. It was a popular and noble theory, truly. Ginny knew better, he was only one man. One very wise, powerful, yet old man. There was too much pressure on him as well, a man that age should be enjoying his great-grand children, not planning the war of the millennium.  
  
Yes, war had started. At the end of Ginny's 5th year, the world was plunged head first, and the world was forced to take it's head out of the covers and fight back. Cornelius Fudge, the then Minister of Magic, was clinging to what political power he could have. Once the public learned of his deceit, of his disbelief of what happened to Harry in his fourth year at Hogwarts, they were outraged. Many wanted to take permanent action, if you catch my drift, they wanted blood, the chocolate kind.  
  
Why Dumbledore forgave him, Ginny couldn't understand, but she acknowledged him as the current minister, even though the rest of Britain didn't, because her father was part of the ministry, because her brothers were, because united we stand. United we stand. This phrase, which was popular in America to rally support, was topic of much discussion in the common room.   
  
"I am so against this war, we have no reason to be fighting!" Pavarati, in her usual confusion, had advocated the position to which the fashion most suited her. She realized, that even though to be against fighting would cause her dimise, being of Muggle decent, she truly didn't understand what was going on. So she followed her usually stand-by, follow the trends. "I mean they are trying to make us all fall for the United we Stand thing. I find that I accomplish more sitting down. Too much effort is involved about taking a stand."  
  
" YOU DITZ! WHY WOULD The PHRASE BE UNITED WE SIT? WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT DOES THAT MAKE? PARDON US, WAIT UNTIL WE ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD TO KILL US? This is not like a God Damned Vietnam Pavarati, this is not a choice. It's kill or be killed. It was then too, actually now that I think about it, but that's beyond the point, you don't understand," Hermione was gathering her steam now, Ron, Harry and Ginny saw it.  
  
"Hermione, I hate to interrupt, but what the hell is Vietnam?" Ron had clearly summoned his courage here, but today was not the day to stop Hermione from completely making her point.  
  
"Ronald Weasley! When are you ever going to take Muggle Studies, it clearly states that in lesson 4 about muggle war, America, in the sixties, and seventies, that America and The Allied Forces went over, committed themselves on a war of freedom, got over commited and tragically lost thousands of man and women, maybe even millions, I can't exactly remember. This caused the so called, hippie movement. It is my opinion that this change would have occurred in America anyway."  
  
Ron's eyebrow's went up as he leaned back in the huge, scarlet armchair and said sarcastically, "I wonder why nobody in here knew all that? What morons we are, to not know what those muggle get up to."  
  
"Ron, for the LOVE OF GOD, stop being such an idiot. This is exactly the attitude that makes us so vulnerable to the dark side," She was still yelling, but now in an exasperated way, "Don't you ever try to think beyond what's ahead of you nose?" Hermione's face was now inches from his, her stare intent and glaring.  
  
Ron shifted uncomfortably at first, then his eye's lit up and he got a mischievous grin, "Why look beyond my nose when such a pretty sight awaits me there?"  
  
Harry knew what was coming next, he felt it. Ginny knew what was coming next, experience taught her well. The entire common room now realized that she discussion about the war was over. This was about Ron and Hermione. They all knew what was coming next, Hermione knew it. Ron seemed to be the only one out of the loop.  
  
))SMACK(( She slapped him right around the face, "When will you stop thinking of women in such a sexist, perverse way requarding women?" Her anger wasn't nearly enough to hide how flattered she was, this was like adding gasoline to a fire.  
  
Ron wasn't mad now, just embarrassed. This caused him to raise his voice in turn. "1, you hit like a girl, 2, I don't think of women like that, just you."  
  
Hermione was now thoroughly fuming, " YOUR IMPOSSIBLE!" She turned and quickly stormed out of the common room, Ron right on her heals, equally as mad now. The portrait door slammed, and everyone heard them arguing all down the corridor.  
  
Dean Thomas, as was the custom after a blazing row, whipped out his little red book, " Okay mates, Neville, your still a long shot for them getting together in the next three hours, but we can always settle-up and re-bet tomorrow. Ginny and Harry, your bets have a snowball in hell, but I'll offer you excellent odds. OY! Seamus, your new bet is what exactly mate?"  
  
Seamus pulled out his wallet, pulled a look of psychic concentration, and announced, "Tomorrow, around dinner time."  
  
At this Dean laughed, "So Harry, Ginny and Seams all think tomorrow's the day the finally admit they like each other...I'll go against you, as the house, and we all know," he added with a wink towards Ginny, "the house never loses."  
  
Ginny couldn't help herself, she just couldn't let him, her ex, have the last word against her in this big debate. So instead of coming up with a witty remark, or something along those lines, she discretely whipped out her wand, temper rising, and muttered, "Opalioso".  
  
Before anyone knew what was happening, Dean, was thrown against the wall, and just as he got his footing, little, yellow Canaries began floating around him in at an annoying rate and chirping in the world's most obnoxious way.  
  
"House never loses, Hun?" Ginny chose this moment to wink, "I can't imagine what that's like." With this, Ginny stormed out of the room. Clearly, it was a night to be in the red.  
  
So now, hours later , she still lay in bed. Her boiling anger was now replaced by the normal fear of night.  
  
Distract yourself Gin, think of anything else. Dean, what a moron, they had broken up at the beginning of her 6th year, he claimed he needed someone older, which meant someone that would put-out, or Padma Patil. This was extremely foolish to announce to the general public of Hogwarts as an excuse for dumping Ginny. Ron, congratulated Ginny, and then proceeded to, along with Harry, hunt Dean down one weekend and beat the shit out of him for "messing with my sisters emotions and shit." Ron wouldn't know what emotions were if they slapped him on the face.  
  
Ginny picked at a spot on her face, something she usually did when she was nervous. She wasn't a huge acne person, but she had the occasional zit here or there. No big.  
  
A creak was coming from the hall, Ginny was going to pee herself in fright. She was right, there was something in the castle coming to get her.  
  
The creak could be heard more often, louder, and the occasional breathing could be heard, then the door opened.  
  
Slowly, so slowly it seemed like it wasn't really happening. Ginny now wished, more than ever, she was home. Where the house was warm and cozy. Where you could hear everybody's conversations. She wished she was home.  
  
A mass of shaggy, untidy, black hair was apparent at first. Then a face, torso and finally the whole body was visible. Suddenly, embarrassment replaced fear as she recognized the frightening figure. It was Harry.  
  
"Harry, what are you doing in here, its a girls dorm!" Ginny immediately reprimand herself for stating the obvious.  
  
Harry, for his part, just chuckled silently, "I figured that. What you should be marveling at is how I got up here."  
  
"What, oh yes, the barrier they put on the stairs to keep boys out. How did you do it?"  
  
"I summoned my firebolt, went as fast as I could and made it. However now you should be asking what I want." Harry had already planned what he was going to say before he came up, because otherwise he would have been a clumsy blundering fool.  
  
Ginny could tell Harry was pulling Ron tactics, planning what he was going to say before he actually got around to it, figuring he would sound cool, what an amateur, did he really think he could fool her? " So Harry, what is it you do want," Ginny put on her most seductive voice, just to throw him off guard.  
  
Harry couldn't believe it, he had planned it so that everything would go his way, SHE WAS ON TO HIM. "Okay Gin, you caught me, I took a leaf out of Ron's book."  
  
"Potter, when will you learn you can't fool the best?"  
  
A girl in the room was beginning to stir,"Gin, come one, I need you help."  
  
Ginny was puzzled. Was she about to become part of one of the famous Harry Potter adventures. She began to hope so.  
  
"OK Gin, I'll level with you. That curse you put on Dean, none of us can remove it. And he went to bed with ear-plugs in. So, um, if you wouldn't mind..."  
  
"Oh, yes, of course, " Ginny played it off, glad the dark was hiding her blush.   
  
Quietly, she and Harry crept down the girls stairs to the boys dorms. Upon opening the door, Ginny understood why they couldn't sleep, the bird's were going crazy. She also noted the the room looked like a hurricane or tornado had thoroughly given it a good lashing. Havoc was all around the room. Neville was hiding under the covers, with half of the curtains on his fours poster bed drawn. Seamus was putting up a gallant fight. Dean was asleep, like the log she always knew him to be. Ron was...  
  
"Harry, where's my brother?" Ginny didn't mean to put a panic in her voice, but her brother, alone, tonight, she shuddered to think.  
  
"Harry, smirked, "Well, he hasn't returned with Hermione yet now that you mention it, not that its any of our business."  
  
"Oh," Ginny caught his drift. "Well, we'll be collecting on our bet tomorrow?"  
  
"I wouldn't count on it." Harry sighed, "It's been about a month, but they think nobody know, its quite the thing, Dean's going to place a bet after we get some recognizance on the two."  
  
"I see, so, I'll get down to business," She walked over to Dean's bed, pulled out her wand, and muttered the counter-curse, which accidentally turned his hair slytherin green. "Sorry Harry, he'll be pissed off when he wakes, but I can't let him win."  
  
"Don't apologize to me, it's always better to be pissed off than on."  
  
She laughed, it was a simple statement, but a joking comment from Harry to her was worth as much as a pile of gold.  
  
Neville's snores were now apparent and loud from across the room. The moonlight hit Harry's face just right and Ginny grinned in spite of herself.  
  
"I better go,..." She turned but still couldn't tear herself away from Harry's piercing eyes, because of this, she tripped over a pair of sneakers, and then a trunk, Landing, spectacularly on her face.  
  
Harry, laughed in spite of himself. It wasn't every day a beautiful girl fell head over heals in front of you. He quietly, and safely, made his way over to her.  
  
"Sorry about that, I just have weak ankles, you lot should really tidy up in here, this is a disgrace!"  
  
Harry leant over and picked her up off the floor, "Ginny, we're guys, we could care less about being tidy, instead, we focus on things that matter."  
  
Harry hadn't realized it, neither had Ginny. Somehow, he had lifted her up, placed her on her feet, and still had her in her arms, they were, very close.  
  
"POTTER," It was at this moment that Ron chose to make his amazing entrance at the worlds worst timing. "What IN GODS NAME ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SISTER, IN MY DORM!"   
  
Ron had snapped. He grabbed Ginny by the arm and led her to the door, and almost got her out of it before turning around and saying, "Potter, not in our dorm, no sisters, in this dorm," Ron looked like he was about to have a heart attack.  
  
Ginny was mad at this point. One mad Weasley was a dangerous occurrence. Two mad Weasley's was a death threat. "RONALD! IF I CHOSE TO BE IN A DORM, THEN THAT WOULD BE MY DECISION!"  
  
Ron was almost beaten, but not without his one interruption, a bold and wonderful, "BUT!"  
  
"NO RON, LISTEN, I AM SO TIRED OF YOU ACTING LIKE YOU NEED TO PROTECT ME ALL OF THE TIME. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. SECONDLY, NOTHING WAS GOING ON, HARRY CAME AND GOT ME TO TAKE THE DRATTED CURSE OFF OF DEAN!"  
  
She stormed out of the Room at this point, lost in thought, knowing she would never get back to sleep, she decided a walk around the grounds would help her relax.  
  
"Harry, sorry mate, but I've decided all women are evil, they are evil."  
  
Harry couldn't help himself, he smiled, "So I take it things with Hermione have taken a turn for the worse?"  
  
Ron didn't reply he just went to bed.  
  
  
  
Monday morning dawned with a dispairing twist. Ginny had been missing for three days. It was determined that after she left the boys dorm, she went outside, then she disappeared. Ron was taking it, bad.  
  
For the first few days all of the students had searched everywhere for her, the Forrest and the vanishing cabinet were even searched.   
  
A week later she was declared a prisoner of Voldemort. Two weeks later she was presumed dead.  
  
Ron took this as a personal blow, "She was my sister, I was responsible, if I hadn't blown up at her, she wouldn't have went for that walk.  
  
Everyone was stressed to the breaking point. Somehow, the practical Hermione didn't know the right thing to say and began what was to become WWIII. They began having huge arguments all over the place and the entire castle was avoiding them.   
  
Harry, knew Ginny wasn't dead, he could feel it. And he would find her.  
  
The next morning at Breakfast tempers, guilt, and emotions were at a all time high. Malfoy was strutting around in such a pompous way that even Crabbe and Goyle had tried to curse the life out of him.  
  
With tension thick enough to be cut with a knife, the Great F F started, Short for the Great Food Fight.  
  
This wasn't started for fun, but out of a tired, lonely guilty rage, that is common among the young. Often, teenagers do not know how to react to negative feelings, the students of Hogwarts were not an exception.  
  
The hall was draped in its usually flags, festive and colorful, for Easter Break was coming, and many students were looking forward to seeing their families.  
  
Now let it be told, that most of the people were rather glum, not in the mood for a feast, party, or celebration. Strangely enough, Dumbledore, through years of experience, knew how to cheer people up, in the darkest of hours.  
  
For some reason, when Harry walked into the hall, not only were Ron and Hermione on opposite ends of the Gryffindor table, but it appeared that he had missed the main course. He had been outside, with the Mauders map, scouring every inch of the grounds with the map, praying to turn up some clue that had been missed previously.  
  
It was at times like this, Harry wished he had a parent to talk to. He wished that he had Sirius. It was partially out of that guilt that he was now trying tirelessly to find Ginny. It was that and, well, Harry knew she was alive. Alive. A word that was so strange and true. When all the world had recognized what was supposedly fact, Harry was still determined not to give up on Ginny.  
  
The tables in the hall, were now laden with the oddest variety of pies, cookies and things that are yummy. Harry noticed that there was a strange atmosphere surrounding the crowd. Many were gorging themselves, whilst others talked animatedly about what they were planning on doing on vacation. The abduction, was now a distant memory. A memory that they were all becoming accustomed to in the world that had for the past two years of all the students lives turned to chaos.  
  
Yet, when Harry walked in, all was silent. They all reguarded him still as the boy who lived. Ron had joked at the end of their sixth year that he was the boy who lived, and lived, and lived, and lived and lived.  
  
At the end of fifth year, Harry was told the truth. That it was he alone that must defeat Voldemort. There was never any sort of announcement, no public statement made available, but everyone just assumed that this seventeen year old boy would save them all.  
  
Everyone, even Harry's best friends, were convinced of it. Everyone but Harry. It just didn't make logically sense to Harry that he could save all of mankind, when he couldn't even save the one person he would give anything to have back. To have a father, someone who was older to guide him. Ron often complained of being poor, but he was missing something very important, you could be poor in many ways. Harry was poor as well. He was poor in family. Maybe that's why he was always so close to his friends, they were all he had. Ginny was the only sister Ron had, and the only other girl he trusted besides Hermione. Harry knew right then that he had to get her. He had lost too many people in his life, he was not about to lose anymore. No matter what the cost. Harry really didn't care what happened to himself anymore. He really wasn't needed here on this Earth. What he wanted, desperately, was to fix things, and then fall into a normal life.  
  
What happened next was an act or extreme stupidity. When a man like Harry resolves himself to do something, he wants to do it right then. Things getting in his way, do not fare very well.  
  
"OY Potter!" It was Malfoy, just as sure of himself as every,"Been out looking for the muggle lover?"  
  
Harry, was not a patient person with Malfoy on a good day. Today was the absolute worst day to test Harry. Malfoy was always managed to have to worst timing.  
  
FLASH, all of the desserts popped up into the air, and with another twirl of his wand, Harry sent all of the desserts hurling over to the exact spot Malfoy was.  
  
He tried to run, bad idea, the desserts followed him so he was now pinned against the wall.  
  
Almost in slow motion, the desserts all attacked him, viciously and deservedly. This, prompted everyone else in the hall to stand up and start throwing the remaining rolls, cookies, and puddings at each other.  
  
Professor McGonagal nearly cried out in rage, "Albus, we cannot allow such a valiant disregard for the rules."  
  
"Minerva, sometimes we need to break the rules for the common good," He ducked as he said the next part,"Look at them, these children haven't had good news in two years, they need to relax, they need to let go, they need to be children."  
  
"Yes, Albus I'm all for them having a good time, but surely, this is a breach of decency?"  
  
The old man stood up, smiled that strange smile, that extended to his crooked nose and twinkling blue eyes. "You know what, if you can't stop them, you might as well join them!" At this eye conjured a pie and promptly threw it a close range at Professor McGonagles face.  
  
She was covered, "Why don't we just apply that rule to everything, just surrender, I would have thought that you, of all people would believe in the rules!"  
  
"Shut it Minerva, help me corner Ms. Granger, she's raised and army and is attacking Mr. Weasley and those other Gryffindors," As he turned and saw her protest, "or should I just attack you again?"  
  
The hall was yelling, and screaming, and jumping and dodging. It was chaos. Harry stared in wonderment at what he had started. Malfoy, was still laying on the moaning, and trying to get some sympathy. Harry was glad to see nobody was having it. So he took a note from Dumbledore and joined in, completely at a loss for everything, except for the need to feel normal. He would think of ways to find Ginny later.  
  
Harry, dove across the battleground that was the great hall. He finally found Ron and "THE TROOP" as they had spelled out in syrup on their robes. "Oh Harry, glad to see you've decide to join in." Ron was either very drunk or sugar high. Harry wasn't sure there was a difference anymore. "Here's the grand plan, plan, hic, Hermione's over there, now, I'm gonna go over, and tell her I love her. And when I do, attack her crew!"  
  
"Ron, you sure you wanna say tha to her?" Harry wasn't gonna let Ron go embarrassing himself.  
  
"Naw,...ATTACK!" He barked the order and everyone went, except Harry, he had heard something interesting.  
  
"OY, Lovegood, go back to the bat cave!"  
  
Cave, cave, cave..  
  
Something clicked and a fire was suddenly lit beneath Harry's ass and you couldn't have stopped him for anything. He knew where to find her, and he knew what he had to do, almost.  
  
This is kinda long, thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Review please.  
  
Next chapter will either be present day or the final battle, surprise. 


	9. The Final Battle

Chapter 8:The final battle.  
  
Disclaimer:You know  
  
The dark, oak doors flew open as Harry was now all out sprinting as fast as he could to the cave on the end of the road outside of Hogsmeade.  
  
Down the steps, downs the slippery grass, past the lake, he didn't even save time to glance as he rushed by. He knew where he had to go.  
  
Harry was running at such a breakneck speed that he didn't even realize when he ran into a tall, dark figure.  
  
Snape."Potter, what are you doing, you must return to the school immediately. This is a matter of life or death."  
  
Harry, had been derailed by Snape in the past, and was having none of it right now, "Snape, I know where Ginny is. Nothing you say can stop me this time."  
  
"That's your problem Potter. Nothing can ever stop you. Your too arrogant to listen to facts. She's dead..."  
  
"NO"  
  
"You can't save her.."  
  
Harry pulled out his wand. "Get back to the school and decide were your loyalties are. I know where I have to go... get the hell out of my way."  
  
Harry expected Snapes lip to curl, to smirk, to say, Potter, your just like your father, you'll die the same way. But instead, Harry was surprised. A light flickered in the dark hollows of Snapes eyes, "So the time has come, Dumbledore was right, so was Tom." At this he turned and began running at the castle.  
  
Harry was shortly shocked, then remembered he had no time and ran.  
  
It was at this that he ran into Firenze.  
  
"For pity's sake, why must I always run into these people!?!" Harry was now ripped.  
  
"Young Harry, I see the time has indeed come. You should hurry, before the attack comes."  
  
"Hey, you could help me get there further," Said Harry as he started to move again, vaguely remembering in his first year.  
  
"No, I can't young Harry, you need to do this on your own."  
  
Harry reached the boar gates. The breeze swung them open just as Harry began to pick up speed as he ran down the hill.  
  
Harry was now panting, but didn't care. He gasped though as he ran through the usually busy Hogsmeade. Not a soul could be found. All of the window shutters and doors were boarded up. If it had been the Wild West, a tumbleweed would have blown through.  
  
Harry had no time to waste now. He needed to get to Ginny.  
  
  
  
Ginny had lost count of how many days she'd been there. It was always the same, the questions, the torture, the questions, the torture. She rolled over on the floor and tried in vain to get comfortable.  
  
She hadn't given up on being rescued, but she figured it wouldn't happen. She'd gotten lucky twice before. Fate didn't just save your ass any old time. There were time limits to these things, she was sure, like a cat having nine lives.  
  
In the back of her mind she kept thinking to herself, Harry, he'll come get you. Then she thought, if he has to save me again, I'll be embarrassed for the rest of my life. Then again...He's the only one brave enough to never give up on you. Or stupid enough. But hell, if it saved her, she'd never speak ill against him again.  
  
Footsteps, shuffling cowardly footsteps. Ginny groaned, they were coming again. This made three times today.  
  
She knew who it was instantly. Only one person could tap his hand against the wall like that. Only one person shuffled his feet in such a cowardly manner.  
  
Wormtail. "Tell them I'm busy having tea and crumpets, to come back later Wormy" Ginny knew she was not calling the shots around here. But talking like this was the only thing she could control right now, so she worked it. It kept her from feeling like a complete victim.  
  
Wormtail laughed a harsh, wheezing laugh, "Nice try lady, but it's time again."  
  
He picked her up, as she was too weak to walk by herself. Suddenly, all the strength she had mentally faded and she was left with her fears. Though now, she really fear was when the day came where she would feel nothing. That would be the scariest day of all.  
  
She was led into the chamber. Laid into the makeshift chair. And left to wait.  
  
She knew he was there before he made himself known. "What are you going to ask me today?"  
  
"Oh my Ginny, always thinking she can be in control. Its the same question you've been asked every day since you came to me."  
  
"I never came to you."  
  
"Right, whatever you say Weasley."  
  
"Either ask me and get it over with or torture me, I do not care."  
  
The anger in his voice was plain, even though it was still almost said inaudibly. "Such rudeness it not tolerated. We will teach you. Crucio!"  
  
Ginny twitched, she was in pain beyond endurance.  
  
"So what do you say now Weasley, will you join me?Will you join the most powerful wizard that ever lived?"  
  
Ginny was panting, join him, end all of this. But another voice in her head, the one that made her so damn stubborn, the one that made her a Weasley, answered, "I already know where my loyalties lie, and its not with you."  
  
"HA, Ginny, where are you loyalties now, eh? Where is your Mudblood champion, Dumbledore? Where is your Hero, Potter? They aren't here. They all think your dead. Join me, show them up. You know your more talented than all of them."  
  
"This isn't about talent Tom, its about ethics," Ginny was mad now, and she really didn't care if it got her killed.  
  
"Ethic's, Ms. Ginny, explain how this is a matter of ethics."  
  
"Simple, I have some, you have none. You don't even respect your followers. You have a huge ego, and an inferiority complex."  
  
"You'll pay for that one girl, ADIODIUM!"  
  
Ginny was paralyzed. She felt tiny knives prodding every inch of her body. She was on fire. She was surely going to die now.  
  
But it was not to be.  
  
"How did that treat you Weasley? I've been kind, but now that you've dishonored me, and my followers, I have no choice but to kill you."  
  
Ginny was panting, crying, and she was beginning to fade out. She fought with consciousness though, when she began to hear new footsteps.  
  
A new voice entered the now glowing cave.  
  
"Sorry Tom, but your shit out of luck today."  
  
It was Harry, sweaty, tired looking. But he was there. And Ginny, knew she was saved.  
  
"Potter," Voldemort spat it out, like rat poison. "What is it that you can possibly do?"  
  
What followed next was a duel that would make the young legend. All the years of training at Hogwarts, seven long, tedious years.  
  
The lights were blinding, flashing glorious shades of green, red and yellow. Suddenly, Harry though of something. "Tom, why are our wands dueling, if it didn't work then, why's it working now?"  
  
Voldermort was out breath, and his red, red eyes were shining. "Idiot boy, you think I would make the same mistake twice? After that incident, I've changed wands. I mean to kill you, and I won't mess it up again." Voldemort attacked again. Stronger this time. More forceful and with much more fury.  
  
Harry responded the best he could, which appeared to be good enough. Natural ability was all that he had, Voldemort had years of experience.  
  
After a while, the curses were still flying and neither knew when the other would quit. Harry was prepared to fight a noble battle to the death. Voldemort, was another story.   
  
After one of Harry's curses narrowly missed him, Voldemort let up, panting, sweating and shaking, "Okay Harry, we appear to be equals. I can't get you, you cannot get me. However boy, there is something in here, which I can hurt. And you cannot save." They both glanced over at the barely conscious Ginny.   
  
Harry knew what Voldemort was going to do ages before he realized he was reacting to it.   
  
"Avada Kedavara..." Was screamed, in a loud, hard, cold voice.  
  
The light emitting from the wand was at first green,...  
  
Harry dove over the boulder chair and onto the form of Ginny Weasley. She just moved her head a little to the right, "What in the hell?" He landed full out of her. Taking the majority of the curse right to his torso.  
  
His scar, was now shining a blinding, unicorn white. That light, which was green, was turning white, and slowly working its way back to Voldemort.  
  
Weird screams were filling the chamber-cave. Echoes and chants. And the white light was growing hotter and brighter by the minute. Ginny, seemed to be the only one in the cave not screaming in pain. She was screaming in fear. If Harry died because of her, what the hell would she do, how could she live with herself? These were her last thoughts as she clung to Harry and finally blacked out.  
  
The screams only intensified as the cave began to collapse. Harry looked over, Voldemort was no longer the tall, powerful figure Harry recognized, but a small scrawny child, lying on the floor screaming.  
  
Harry felt sorry for it. It was odd, that in the moment where he finally won, conquered his parents murderer, he felt sorry for him. Harry could have done nothing for the small, fragile figure now. It was going to be crushed, so was Ginny and Harry, but Harry couldn't move for the life of him. No pun intended.  
  
A glorious music filled the now barely open cave. Harry, blacked out in exhaustion. Somehow, he knew Ginny would be okay. That was all that mattered at the present time.  
  
  
  
I hope this is okay, I think it's all right. Please, review. Thanks much. 


	10. Saying it and doing it, two totally diff...

Disclaimer: Don't own most of the characters.  
  
  
  
The Third Option  
  
To say it and to do it, two totally different things..  
  
  
  
Harry said, "Let's go back to England." Saying it and doing it were two very different things. For starters, Harry and Ginny had to explain to Moody their sudden disappearance, let Molly know they were OK, because Ginny was sure that her mother was having kittens, and some how make up with Ron and Hermione.  
  
Harry was quite sure that Ron and Hermione would have some kind of extreme revenge planned on them and was uneasy just thinking about it. He would rather face another Hungarian Horntail than step a foot into his own house, which also happened to be the place where two conspirators against him resided.  
  
For what it was worth, Ginny had a rather good idea and proceeded to inform Harry of it on the plane ride back, as they couldn't apparate back due to the fact that the clerk at the hotel was already rather suspicious of them and insisted on sending a car for them to the airport.  
  
"Harry, stop biting your nails, first we'll stop off to Moody's office, smooth things over, afterall its a Wendsay night, he's sure to be in, then we'll pop into Mom's, she'll be pleased to see us, and then we'll take you home and I'll make sure they don't curse you into oblivion the moment you walk through the door, then I'll go home."  
  
"Gin, that sounds well and all, but you don't understand Hermione, she'll either give me a lecture on the importance of morals and ethics, or pull some sort of embarrassing prank on me that could leave me injured."  
  
"Harry, you know what I think? We should just visit Moody tomorrow morning, he can wait, let's just go off to dinner at Mum's, she always cooks more food that they can eat. And as for ethics, they may ask us some odd questions when we get there. But then again, after that weird clerk, I think we can answer questions about being an auror without and degree of difficulty."  
  
"It's odd how now that they have money, they refuse to indulge themselves, you know?"  
  
"Your one to talk Potter, I know you've got enough gold to settle up and live in Trump Tower in New York for the rest of your life."  
  
"Aww, Gin, what is the fun in that?" I ask you, honestly?"  
  
"No fun at all, but where is the fun in working in a crazy office where you now need to fear for your life from your two best friends?"  
  
"I've feared for my life all of my life, why stop now? Besides, I've got Fred and George on our side."  
  
"Well, you don't have to worry about Hermione enlisting Fred and George, I'm their favorite sibling, they would die for me."  
  
"Yeah, Fred would, but George is still obsessed with money, you'd think your all direct descendants of Leprechauns the way he carries on about gold and the such."  
  
Ginny blanched, " And if we were it would be of no concern to you."  
  
"WHAT? Your all a bunch of Leprechauns?"  
  
Harry, after years of living in the wizarding world was suspicious of very few things, unless it reguarded a case or something. This left him very gullible.  
  
Ginny surpressed a grin as she continued, "Of course we are, we don't just have red hair because we like it."  
  
"Really?" Harry was very interested now and Ginny was laughing all the way to the Gullible Bank. Sadly though, it struck a nerve at how naive and innocent he really was in the wizarding world. She couldn't continue to lie to him. Her mother was right, she was the only Weasley that would stop a practical joke before it could hurt someone. Molly called it Ginny's maternal instinct, Ginny called it her shit luck.  
  
"Harry, you've seen Leprechauns, their small. Do I look like a Little Person to you?"  
  
"No, but,... Ginny were you pulling my leg?"  
  
She just laughed and nodded, "Harry we really have got to stop this craziness you have got going for you."  
  
"I'll get you back, it may take until my dieing day, but I'll get you back.'  
  
Ginny just rolled her eyes, he always made these oaths, and at the rate he was fulfilling them, he would never die.  
  
The plane engine roared then the wheels came down and they came for a soggy landing in their own territory, London.  
  
"Really Arthur, do you really think they would elope? I hardly think Ginny that kind of girl." Molly was banging about the kitchen, grabbing random pots here, waving her wand there and creating a meal that was much to big for her and her husband. It was odd that now that they were rich, they refused things that went along with it, maids, cooks, and gardeners. They refused a lot except money, they were modest, not stupid.  
  
"Molly, that has been the rumor going about the office and its in this weeks Witch Weekly, something is going on. They just disappeared. Some claim it was because they were afraid of Ron and Hermione's revenge, but come on now, these two faced down Voldemort, they really wouldn't shy away from their own friends now, do you think?"  
  
"I really couldn't say. Ginny is an independent young lady, and Harry, for the noble man he is, he really is rather odd."  
  
"Arthur Weasley! Don't you dare insult that boy, he's almost our own flesh and blood. If Dumbledore would have let me I would have adopted him."  
  
"Harry was too old for adoption by that time Molly, and besides, he's not a boy anymore, he's a man. Those kids don't realize how grown up they really are."  
  
"Oh, I suppose your right, but I just don't see them getting together. I almost laughed myself silly when Ron and Hermione came over for tea the other day and told me. I really am surprised at those two, they seem to be drinking a lot but they don't look it. If anything they look too thin. Maybe if Ron moved back home, we could get him healthy looking again..."  
  
"Molly, they too are all grown up, the children are adults now, really, trust me, I've looked at all of their resumes. They are old enough to lead their own lives, and do what they want."  
  
"Like any of them listened to us anyway when they were young. The things they all got up to, Charlie getting caught in the Forbidden Forest with that centaur women, that was scandalous, and Fred and George,... Never in my life did I think I would see anyone break Sirus Black and James Potter's Record for detentions and owls home..."  
  
"The record is now set at , oh lets see here, 2901 detentions, and 2056 owls home, at least they were pranking, and not doing anything extremely dangerous, unlike Ron and Harry and Hermione. Then when Ginny joined in on the "FUN"," At this point Arthur uses quotation marks with his fingers, "I really just don't believe the way all our kids turned out."  
  
A loud pop was heard throughout the house. "Arthur I bet you its Harry and Ginny.."  
  
"Your on Molly, I bet it Fred and that girlfriend of his, Angel?, no Caroline, so, what was it dear, she's always about and I always forget girls name...."  
"Angelina, I think George is with her, oh dear, we are losing our memories, I would know her if I saw her though..."  
  
They proceeded to walk into the living room and if you had been observant you would notice the Weasley Clock had somehow grown, with all the grandchildren, and daughters in-laws to be added, but there were still, large spaces which Molly kept to remind her single children they weren't getting any younger and time slowed for no one. What a mother she was.  
  
"Ginny dear! How wonderful to see you both, do sit down, we were just about to eat, would you like to join us, and tell us about your trip, you know, your news?" Molly was obviously trying to hint at something poor Ginny and Harry knew nothing about. They just smiled and replied yes.  
  
After the meal had been eaten, polite conversation had been discussed, and the dishes were being washed by Molly and Ginny in the kitchen, and Arthur had taken Harry to the living room on Molly instruction, Molly got down to business with her daughter.  
  
"What were you thinking?"  
  
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Ginny was thoroughly confused and getting just a little more worried as time went on.  
  
"You take off, with a man you hardly know!"  
  
"Mom I've known Harry since I was ten years old!" Ginny wasn't sure what she was defending herself for, but she soon understood she needed an excuse.  
  
"You take off, like a scarlet women, share a room with a man, and never floo over to tell me of your plans, what were you thinking Virginia? Really, tell mom?"  
  
"It was a business trip, we had to follow a lead, and get away from Hermione!"  
  
"I was right about her, she is a scarlet women, trying to split you and Harry up!"  
  
"Mom, Hermione only has eye's for Ron, I couldn't tell you why though, and she is not a Scarlet women and neither am I for that matter. Harry and I have never been together and we probably won't be. Where your getting off I have no idea!"  
  
Molly's face went red, "Look and explain this then," She plopped down the latest issue of Witch's Weekly, with a picture of Ginny and Harry from the Aurors ball more than a year ago, where they had barely socialize, yet how this picture got taken, she didn't know. There they were, smiling, and laughing and waving at the camera. Funny, Ginny thought, there was no press inside the event..  
  
"Well.."Molly had her demanding tone of voice on.  
  
"Well," Ginny clearly wasn't following.  
  
"Honestly, read the damned caption!"  
  
  
  
Earlier this week, heart-throb Harry Potter, allegedly eloped in Spain to the Ministers daughter Virginia Weasly. It was really no surprise afterall, marrying your rescuer is what fairy tales are all about. To read about Ginny's fairy tale life, page 2. Read more on their lavish rushed style wedding on page 3. Read more on their romance page 4. And to read about what they will name their child due next December page 5.  
  
  
  
It appeared that the entire center spread was devoted to Ginny and Harry! Ginny was horrified.  
  
"POTTER!" Ginny couldn't speak, she was outraged, why would they print such lies about her, why? " GET IN HERE , NOW!"  
  
Harry who was having a very conversation with Arthur, who was clearly ignoring certain subjects was at first relived when he heard Ginny's voice. Then scared as her and Molly began screaming.   
  
Arthur, after years of yelling, was practically immune to the stuff. ]  
  
"What are they fighting about Arthur?"  
  
"Oh, what, um... I wouldn't know Harry, my boy, I suggest we stay here, in the safety. Yes that's always the best way."  
  
Harry began to be very content with this arrangement, ignoring the yells, ignoring the yells, then, "POTTER!"  
  
Harry, jumped out of his chair so fast it knocked backwards and he sprinted to the kitchen.  
  
"What is it Ginny?"  
  
"Wow that was fast," Molly commented.  
  
Ginny couldn't even breathe, she was humiliated, angry and scared, what if he thought she had did this? What would happen to their friendship then? Would she lose him?  
  
The magazine flew into Harry's hands and his mouth dropped. "What the hell is this all about?", then he did something out of character during bad situations, he laughed, "Well, Mrs. Potter, what's going on?"  
  
"This isn't funny Harry, you know we are not married!" Ginny as going to kill him, right here, Voldemort couldn't do it, because this was definitely something left to her.  
  
"Your not!?" Molly muttered this in a way that would make you think she was disappointed.  
  
"Of course we are not! We aren't even dating!" Ginny exclaimed, not completely humiliated.  
  
"Not for lack of trying, hahaha" Harry couldn't help himself; this whole situation was ridiculous, hysterical even.  
  
"Harry!", Ginny was clearly close to tears.  
  
Harry immediately stopped laughing. Clearly she wasn't used to this and she was quite upset. This made him upset, they could run his name through the mud, maybe it didn't bother him, but it hurt her. And if it hurt her, it killed him. "Ginny, I'm sorry, I'll fix everything."  
  
She marveled for a minute. The change in him as drastic. If she was an evil plotting kind of woman, she could get him to do anything she wanted, but she wouldn't do that, it just wasn't her style.  
  
"Here's what we'll do Ginny, tomorrow we'll go to work, smooth everything over with Moody, let me do the talking, then we'll investigate this stuff."  
  
"OK, but what about Gilderoy Lockhart and the Reco's?" Ginny was wondering...  
  
"Well, we'll also research where we can find his retarded self."  
  
"Thanks Harry!" Ginny couldn't help herself, she gave him a huge hug, embarrassing as it may be, some people will always be there to save your sorry butt, and Harry, sad as it may be, would always be her knight in shining armor.   
  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Molly was having a hard time wrapping her head around this, "So you two are not married, have no plans for dating let along marriage and all this stuff in the media is false?"  
  
"Yea, something like that mom," Ginny couldn't help herself, she was realizing that with Harry on her side, this was kind of funny actually. She started laughing and Harry couldn't help but burst out laughing as well.  
  
"OK, good night you two, I'm going to bed, today was a total let down on the whole, if you ever decide to get married, ever, you had better come and see me before it get into the press, or I will kill you, both, especially you Ginny. Night, love ya'all." And it was with that last dramatic speech, that Molly Weasley officially gave up on Harry marrying her only daughter.  
  
Unofficially she hoped they would eventually come to their senses, they were supposed to be smart, young adults, where was the world going to? And where were all the grandchildren she was supposed to have?  
  
REVIEW!! REVIEW!! YAY!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! 


	11. Club Weasley Brothers:For Your Benifit!

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter  
  
The Third Option  
  
Club Weasley Brother: For your benefit!  
  
Harry and Ginny were still laughing when they arrived at Harry's house. The house had the appearance of a person coming back to life. It still was hidden from view unless you were told about it from the secret keeper, which was transferred to Harry after the war, when he officially came into his inheritance from Sirus when he turned 18. Harry found dead useful when avoiding press, stalkers, and anyone he really would rather avoid. The empty lot you first noticed before the house sprang into view, a large oak tree had sprung to life and wild flowers had overgrown it.  
  
"So... do you want to come inside for some coffee and to say hi?" Harry could tell this was going to get awkward, especially if he had to say hi to Ron and Hermione, then it would get difficult, not only did Harry pull a severely traumatizing practical joke on Ron but he also supposedly "married" his little sister. Those two things were punishable by death in the Book of Ron. And Hermione, Harry knew she would have a wrath and a half awaiting him.  
  
"Sure, but lets avoid the saying hi part if we can. I really don't feel like dealing with them just yet. Mom was quite the experience." Ginny blushed, she was so embarrassed that her mother still wanted her to marry Harry. He just didn't like her like that.  
  
"Your mother is an extremist in emotion Gin, I've known her for quite a while, she cry's, she laughs, she screams, and she rages."  
  
"You don't know how difficult it is having her as a mother, she always expects so much from me, because I'm the only girl. I always feel like I'm disappointing her." Ginny looked down.  
  
Harry answered her softly, "At least you have some one who expects things from you, someone who you can disappoint. At least you have a real family. That something I never had, and probably never will."  
  
"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking clearly, I.." Why ? Ginny asked herself, why did she always stick her foot in her mouth when she talked to him.. Stupid! Stupid!  
  
Ginny was pulled from her self loathing by Harry who had started talking again, "Ginny, I dunno why you get so embarrassed by things you say. I have no family really, and I'm okay with that. I'm used to it, I avenged it, and I'll maybe get lucky enough to have a family of my own someday. I think I used all my luck though, surviving Hogwarts, but we'll see. Let's go inside it's awfully cold out here."  
  
Ginny followed Harry silently into the house. She was still thinking to herself, not really registering all of the improvements Harry had made to the house. She stepped in behind him to the kitchen, which made her realize how much the rest of the house had changed, "Harry, you've redone so much of the rest of the house, why did you leave the kitchen the same?"  
  
"Well," Harry said as he made coffee, "I don't really think of the kitchen as my domain, so I've left it, maybe someone else will decorate it someday."  
  
"I see,..." Ginny was still in her dream like state when she took her first sip of coffee. "Harry! Did you say you didn't have a family?"  
  
"Ugh... yeah a while ago Gin."  
  
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!?!?!" Ginny was shocked, "Harry, your a honorary Weasley! We all love you!"  
  
Harry grinned mischievously, "Even you?"  
  
"Of course I love you!" Ginny realized what she said after she said it. "Why do you always put me in these situation?"  
  
Harry just laughed and took another sip of his coffee and acted as if nothing was going on. "So", he continued, "how do you think we should smooth everything over tomorrow?"  
  
"Well," Ginny would just have to be very cautious in what she said, "I propose we "  
  
"Oh proposing already are you?"   
  
"Potter! Will you quit it?"  
  
"Quite what?"  
  
"Quite doing it!"  
  
"What are we doing here?"  
  
"STOP, your being a supreme pest!"  
  
"Well, at least I'm a over-achiever!"  
  
Ginny couldn't stop herself, she started laughing,"I'm still mad at you."  
"Oh, I forgot, I can't tease my wife?"  
  
"Potter, I am not your wife, and we need to discus tomorrow!"  
  
"I've already got tomorrow planned, wake up, bug you, go to work, bother you, suck up to Moody so he doesn't blast our heads off, create a peace with Ron and Hermoine, and meet up with Gilderoy Lockhart."  
  
"Oh, thanks for involving me in the planning process." Ginny pretended to be put out.  
  
"Oh, do you mind?" Harry asked mock abashed.  
  
"No, not really."  
  
A sudden banging noise was heard, then laughter, then it sounded like someone had fallen down the stairs.  
  
Harry knew what was coming an instant before it did. He grabbed Ginny and ducked under the table.   
  
The door busted down the the kitchen and splinters went all over the kitchen.  
  
"Opps, did we do that, shame on us!" It was Hermione and Ron, who performed the charm to fix the door.  
  
"Hiccup, Harry and Ginny, the newlywed." Ron laughed.  
  
"We're not married." Ginny said simply and quickly.  
  
"WHAT?!" Ron looked mad.  
  
"So you two, aren't together?" Hermione began giggling uncontrollably.  
  
"No," Harry said, in less than an enthusiastic tone.  
  
"I, Potter, you had better," Ron was turning purple, "You and her, aren't.. Why?"  
  
"Pardon me Ron, what are you asking exactly?" Ginny was a little more than confused.  
  
"Yeah, you sound like you want Ginny and I to get married." Harry was definitely dumbfounded by the state Ron was in, he was an extremely honest drunk. And you could always count on him for it.  
  
"What's wrong with my sister Potter, is she not good enough for you?" Ron's eye's were bloodshot and he was accenting his words oddly so the good sounded like "guddd".  
  
"No, no , no, not at all, she more than good enough, we just aren't together." Harry hoped he hadn't embarrassed Ginny, who was crimson, standing with her mouth open like a fish.  
  
"So why not?'  
  
"Why not what Ron?" Ginny had found her mouth and remember how to use it.  
  
"Why aren't you two together? Do you not like one another? Is it because your gay Harry, not that there is anything wrong with that, but as your best mate I think you should have told me." Ron was drooling now.  
  
"No, I'm not gay, and there is nothing wrong with Ginny, she's definitely attractive, we just aren't together." Harry really knew he was embarrassing her, but he was really not impressed with Ron's manners at the moment.  
  
"Yeah, my sister is great," Ron was acting like Ginny wasn't even in the room, "She's beautiful, almost as beautiful as Hermione, it's cause Gin's a Weasley, we're all good looking, and you know what else she's a freaking' genius, that's probably it, she's too smart for you. She can tell your homosexual...I can hook you up with Colin you know? He still talks about you..." Ron was rambling...  
  
"Ron, I am not gay! I've been with plenty of women, why do you keep asking me that?" Harry was losing his patients with his less than tactfully honest friend.  
  
"I think that because your not with Ginny, however, maybe your just blind, yeah that's it, the glasses, that kill your eye sight, your girl blinders."  
  
"Ron, maybe you should stop talking now," Hermione always could smell a fight brewing, "Ron maybe we should go to bed."  
  
"Yeah, but first I got go do something..." He had turned the watch head three times, and pressed some buttons. It flashed red and then black, then red again. "Yeah I gotta go, I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
"Wait," Ginny recognized something, "Are those the fabled Weasley Brother Watches, the ones Fred and George made when we were all younger to keep track of each other in the Order and stuff?"  
  
"Yup, and you still know nothing of them, and they've got other, more important uses now."  
  
"Why am I not in procession?" Ginny was made now.  
  
"Because, your a girl, we'll make you one someday, but you gotta figure these things out yourself. That's the rules, I didn't make them up."  
  
"Why didn't I ever get one?" Harry was kind of shocked, "I was involved in the Order towards the end, wouldn't it be useful to have contact with me like that?"  
  
"Harry, Harry, Harry," Ron acted like he was explaining 2 + 2, and he used many exaggerated hand movements, "We didn't give it to you because I was supposed to be with you at all times, since we knew that wasn't possible, we put a Harry track into it."  
  
"Isn't there something on their about a Ginny track as well, I heard you all talking about it to Dad one night."  
  
"Yeah, it's wired to follow you lot." Ron was grinning like a fool.  
  
"So you know where we all at all times, and you track us?" Harry was starting to piece us together.  
  
"And if we were together, you would know about it and be able to, stop in?" Ginny was mad as hell right about now.  
  
"Yeah that sounds about right, so you see what I mean when I say that it has its uses now?"  
  
"That's an invasion of our privacy." Ginny was practically burning in anger.  
  
"Well, Gin, now that there's nothing going on between you all, the master plan needs some tinkering. It's been to damn long to let nature run its course, we're doing some matchmaking Weasley style."  
  
Hermione, yawned, "I'm tired, I'm gone go to bed, by the way you two, no hard feelings about earlier, we're above pulling such childish pranks now."  
  
"Sure Hermione, pretend to take the moral high ground. I'm still watching my back." Harry knew her better than this. She was a tricky one that Hermione, never trust her if she had something against you.  
  
"I am morally higher than you all, and a little higher on other things, but that's of no importance." She left laughing like a witch, which she was.  
  
Ron was now taking out some floo powder. The embers burned into a vibrant green fire.  
  
"To the CLUBWSAFE HOUSE!" And Ron was gone.  
  
"Harry, let's follow him."  
  
He caught her arm, "Gin it's of no use. They have a privacy pull on it. Only special members can get through."  
  
"Oh, well, then I guess I should be off, its getting late."  
  
"Yeah, well good night Gin." Harry gave her a hug and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"Yeah, good night Harry." Ginny murmured as she half threw the powder into the fire and said the name of her flat. What was going on between them.  
  
Harry sighed and went up to bed. He was tired and today had been a rough one. On the other hand, at least he might have a chance with Ginny. A small minuscule one, but a chance, al because the Weasley Brothers promoted it.  
  
The Meeting of the Weasley Brothers:  
  
"I, Ronald Weasley officially call this meeting in order concerning the future of our dear sister, Virginia. It appears, she is not wed to young Mr. Potter. So the death threat plans are off. The bets must be repaid in full, by next Wednesday, or held as payment for future bets.  
  
"It has also come to my keen sense of the world that we must now, produce a wonderful plan, to bring these two people together in holy matrimony."  
  
"Ron, your such a prick, " Fred snickered, "We don't have to pull through all of this formality anymore, and I am not repaying any bets."  
  
It was Bill who spoke next, "I have been talking to Fluer, we have come up with a plan that should be fool -proof, meaning that we can carry it off without a hitch, especially you Ron, which you will have a key role, being the man's best friend."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, " George exclaimed, "That's all fancy and wonderful, but what do me and Fred get to invent?"  
  
"What animals do I need to get?" Asked Charlie in a rather tired tone.  
  
"What stings do I have to pull at the office, asked Percy who looked rather important.  
  
George winked at Fred and muttered, "You only have to pull your own."  
  
"Oh wait, Fred, I wasn't aware that dummies could operate themselves."  
  
"Oh yes, they are quite advanced now-a-days!"  
  
The other brothers laughed.  
  
"So anyway," Bill pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and smoothed it out on the clubhouse table, "Here is exactly what we are going to need to do..."  
  
It was with this that the Weasley brothers enacted and began to carry out their infamous, Plan "Y".   
  
  
  
Harry rolled over in his sleep, and smiled. It would be his first night of a peaceful sleep.  
  
Ginny came home to find several messages awaiting her, she ignored them and went to sleep.  
  
The two met up the next day at work and did not discuss what they had talked about last night, and they went to Moody first thing, before somebody else could piss him off.  
  
Knock, knock, knock. The gravally voice answered. "Get in here now! You had better have one world class excuse!"  
  
They opened the door and cautiously crept in.   
  
What awaited them would shock them. 


	12. A Cunning, Oh SO, Cunning Plan!

Chapter 12   
  
A Cunning, Cunning plan!  
  
The office door swung open, leading Harry and Ginny into a clean, clinical office. The walls were all bare and painted stark white. Two large bookcases, stacked with modern looking books stood on either side of the room. A medium sized, black metal desk sat towards the back of the room. No pictures were on it, only neat, official looking papers all stacked into important piles on the surface. One large, old-fashioned straight back chair was on one side, and two, very uncomfortable chairs were opposite of it. This was the space Ginny had completed her interview in. "See Harry, if Moody can keep a tidy office, why can't you?" She immediately went to sit.  
  
"What are you doing?"Moody coughed a harsh laugh, "Oh, no Weasley, we're going to my real office, I don't trust this place as far as I can through an elephant." He then proceeded to open a bookcase which had been concealing a hidden office cramped to the point of claustrophobia. It was a large room, filled to the rafters with... well everything. Odd instruments hung from the ceiling, walls and somehow from the floors. The sneakascopes were on full alarm. Mainly, well at least all of the surface area, was covered with posters, of every criminal that wasn't caught from the war, even a large print out in which the Quibbler, which had become quite a respectable non-ministry magazine had printed, "Potter War, is it our World War II?" Harry had to admit, as much as he detested to lending his name to the war more than he had to, the two wars had similar characteristics. Both were lead by Mad-men, who brain washed people into believing a certain group was evil, and both times, luckily, the men were proven wrong.  
  
The walls were not only dripping with posters, but also pictures of Moody with friends, and who Harry imagined was family. Also various awards hung from the walls. In the corner, sat the trunk that had indeed held Moody prisoner during Harry's fourth year.  
  
The place was in shambles, and Harry was getting more and more comfortable by the minute. "Ginny, what was that you were saying about me being more organized like Moody?" Harry was enjoying the fact that he could throw this back in her face.  
  
"Shut it Harry, I'm not in the mood." Ginny, who had grown up with all males knew how dirty their minds could be; the instant she saw the smirk on Harry's face she flashed him a warning glance and waved her wand.  
  
Instantly, green, blue and orange sparks illuminated the room and Harry grabbed Ginny and ducked for cover.  
  
"What ... was ... that?" Ginny managed to spit out through the shock.  
  
"That was me," the gravely voice of Moody growled, "there will be no funny business in here. If you two can't control your immature emotions I'll do it for you, and my way is more painful, much more painful..."  
  
"I can see that they aren't joking, he really does get more paranoid by the year," Harry muttered under his breath.  
  
"And more sinister," Ginny added under her breath.  
  
"Oh sure, everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I'm right, I know it, I'm right," Moody barked this as he sat down in a very comfortable office chair, "Oh, your shocked to see me, still sharp as a tack, the only thing I've lost is looks," at this point he gave another laugh, only this time it was softer, like a memory that he wasn't sure existed. "So anyway you two, we've got to have a talk about this case, where are you going with it?"  
  
"What," Ginny was completely taken aback, "You don't want to yell at us about supposedly getting married?"  
  
"What, oh that load of crap? Why in the hell do I care about your personal life, besides, I knew instantly you two wouldn't elope, Harry doesn't have the guts to face down Molly, and besides, you wouldn't dare not invite me." Moody winked through his beaten, scarred, leathery face.  
  
"So, sir," Harry continued, "you want to discus the case?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, as a matter of fact I need you two," Moody looked lost again, or at least that was the impression they were getting from his expression. "Remember Voldemort's Brother you met?"  
  
"What, how do you know about him? We haven't even got the paper work done on that yet!?!" Ginny was shocked ,how did this old paranoid man know so much?  
  
"Weasley, no important right now. Here's what you need to know, so you will know what to do: Get into this portrait, go to his house, and spy for three days. Any problems?" Moody said all this in a voice that was merely stating the sky was blue.  
  
"Well, for one that's impossible, how are we suddenly to become paint, its physically impossible." Harry was shocked at Moody, the man's completely lost his mind. All gone, he's been used up, this man is no more, not to steal a Monty Python phrase or anything.  
  
"Actually Potter, its quite practical, just unorthodox, so hop on in." Moody said this in a final voice.  
  
He pulled back a curtain, unlocked a strange snake rope with his wand and revealed a solid blurred color square dripping in everytime of color swirling like a puddle of oil.  
  
Harry stepped in first, instantly the square became more solid. Then Ginny joined him. And the Square became a portrait.  
  
"Okay you two, no funny business, spy, be discreet and don' be seen."  
  
"Moody? Just one thing, is this similar to what Dumbledore uses to know everything at Hogwarts?" Ginny couldn't hold in her curiosity any longer.  
  
Moody just laughed, "We all have our tricks and dirty little secrets, haha. You've got three days now, anything and everything you need is in there. Here's a map. Be careful on what you do, you can always add but you can't take away while painting."  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry was puzzled.  
  
"You'll see Potter. Good bye, remember, be careful. And search for the Reco's. Oh and by the way, I'll explain your disappearance." He continued to laugh.  
  
"So, where the hell are we Harry?" Ginny was confused. They were in a huge grassy meadow, with doors popping up every few steps.   
  
"I think this is the right one. Here, hold this, I'll open it up"  
  
It was the wrong one.  
  
They walked into a painting of a Hot Air balloon, with some kind of anti-stress saying; it clearly didn't work.  
  
"HERMIONE! You didn't?!?!" It was an outraged Ron. Clearly laughing hysterically all the while slightly getting less and less mad. He was twirling a pencil through his fingers while his girlfriend pranced around the room.  
  
"Honestly Ron, all I had to do was write a lovely letter to Luna to print it in the Quibbler, and then I called our favorite Beetle bug." At this point she spun around in a full circle.  
  
"Mione, why, why did you drag her up in this. Harry will never forgive you!" Ron cast this out of his mouth in a warning tone.  
  
"Ron, those two need to get together, your brothers plan isn't effective in the slightest. You all might as well try to get Lupin to marry Nymphadora."  
  
"'Mione, they are married."  
  
"No they aren't", Hermione was quite sure of herself on this count.  
  
"Yeah they are, right after the war, remember?"  
  
"Was that the one I got drunk at the reception?"  
  
"Yeah 'Mione, that's when you became an alcoholic."  
  
"Shut up Ron! I'm a not an alcoholic."  
  
"Whatever you say." Ron but on a disbelieving face.  
  
  
  
Ginny glanced over to Harry, "What do you think they are arguing about?"  
  
"Whatever it is, we don't wanna know anymore details than necessary. I'm sure of that."  
  
"What do you think Hermione did?" Ginny gave Harry a intense questioning look.  
  
"If it's something to do with Rite Skeeter I don't want any part of it."  
  
"All right, its cold, lets find the right place."  
  
"Good idea brain child" Ginny shoved him through the door.  
  
"Think your real tough, don'tcha Weasley?" Harry jokingly pulled her into a headlock, loose enough for her to get out, but she wasn't really paying enough attention to.  
  
"As a matter of fact I do Potter." Ginny flashed him a mischievous grin and took the map. After consulting it she grabbed his hand and took off to the correct door.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Moody burst into Ron and Hermione's office, "Did it work, did they hear?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't think they put it all together," Ron said off-handily.  
  
"It will, it'll work, those two will see the light eventually, they have too." Moody said as he grinded the remainder of his teeth.  
  
"In all of my years, I never thought you would be such a hopeless romantic." George had, once again popped in with his twin.  
  
"Yeah Moo-moo," (The twins called him that on account of an incident two years ago in which Moody, jumped the gun on an operation and transfigured himself and the other people in the room, into a herd of cattle.) Fred interjected, "We had to pinned for a more, well, drunk and bitter old man."  
  
"Hush you two, or I'll get you both in your sleep." Moody was looking extremely sinister, however the twins rarely knew when was the right time to give up, they were risk-takers, and they liked to push until they were up against the wall.  
  
"Gred?" George winked.  
  
"Yes, Forge?" Fred smirked.  
  
"I think Moo-moo is threatening us."  
  
"Not in this office last time is was blown to smithereens." Hermione mentioned in a disapproving tone.  
  
"Fine, I'll give you two to the count of three, hide and I garuntee I'll smell you rats out."  
  
"Good luck smelling with the bump you call a nose." Fred said as he took off out the door.  
  
"Yeah Moo-moo, c'mon. Let's see what you can do." George winked as he slammed the door on the way out into the main office area.  
  
"This time, I will not do any perminate structural damage, as to damage to their brains, well their already addled."  
  
"Moody, before you go, do you really think all of this will work?" Hermione looked nervous.  
  
"Yup, give her a couple more weeks and him about a couple of months, and they won't be able to keep their hand off of each other. So now, if you don't mind, I gotta go and kill the twins." Moody, who was surprisingly agile for a old man, took off out the door.   
  
Immediately you could see lights flashing and things breaking. Luckily, Moody ran the department. The oddest thing about it all was that those doing office work that day continued, business as usual.  
  
"Harry, what is that?" Ginny was scared sounding.  
  
"I couldn't tell you. Let's just hang out here for a while. Or should we check other portraits?"  
  
NO, we stay here. Only God knows what else is in the other ones."  
  
"But what is it?"  
  
Sorry this was way late. Review please! please! please! Thank ya much! 


	13. Questioning

Disclaimer: Does anyone know if this is required?  
  
Haha, a couple of you don't like cliffhangers, sorry. If you like this story check out another by me, I think it will be just a short story though, its called, "A Deal's a Deal." Highly recommended if I do say so myself, its about Harry and Ginny's role in the House Elf Liberation of Hogwarts, I may update if people like it.  
  
Chapter 13: Questioning  
  
"Harry, is it just me, or has it changed, in color?" Ginny timidly looked at the gelatin-sculpture. It was of something you would never want to see in the flesh, so why would some one paint a gelatin sculpture of it?  
  
"No Ginny, it's just the way the light from the room is reflecting on it. Look, if you turn your head this way its green," then Harry turned his head to the left and squinted his eyes, "Then when you do this its purple."  
  
"It's so, so..." Ginny was at a lose for words.  
  
Harry quickly filled in her space, "Ugly? Strange? Or is it, well, why would he paint this? Ginny would you ever paint a gelatin sculpture of yourself naked?"  
  
"Well," Ginny blushed at the thought, " Probably not, but I just can't help but wonder, if this man would put a picture like this of himself in his entryway, what in the world is in the other portraits?"  
  
"Gin, we've met this man, he's mad, so naturally we can assume that he wasn't thinking all too clearly when he hung it here."  
  
Ginny didn't have time to respond as a shadowy figure appeared in the door way across from them.  
  
The booming old voice of the mad hippie could be heard echoing through the house to the hall which his guest just arrived, "Come on in my dear. I have missed you, Deaky."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened, she mouthed, "Who's Deaky?"  
  
"No idea," Harry mouthed back.  
  
"Where are you old man?" The man called Deaky yelled into the house.  
  
"Come to the sitting room."  
  
Deaky quickly walked down the hall and entered the door which supposedly led to the sitting room.  
  
"Harry, we have to follow him." Ginny looked petrified at the thought.  
  
"Gin, we've got no choice, we've got to follow, we've got to see what they're up too."  
  
So they exited the portrait instantly emerging into the next portrait, which the room was empty, so they continued in such a way until the entered the sitting room. Through some good fortune they managed to except most crude portraits, just bothering people playing cards and what (Oh how they hoped) were apparently wooden carvings of trolls. Harry wondered why the old man had painted statues, something was clearly very disturbed in this man's brain.  
  
"So, you've got the money, naturally" The old man was talking very calmly, and normally.  
  
"Well not exactly sir." The hooded figure seemed to be very scared, and you could visibly see every molecule of his body jump back an inch even though he never took a step as the old man stood up and lifted his wand.  
  
"AFTER ALL THIS TIME. AFTER ALL THE DEATHS, YOU CAN'T EVEN MANAGE A SIMPLE TASK?" The temper had been unexpected, Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and instantly recoiled, as though he were fire. Her face turned the color of fire and she instantly looked back on the old man, who now was spitting mad, literally.  
  
"I EXPECTED MORE OF YOU. TOM ALWAYS SAID YOU COULD PULL ANYTHING OFF." The old man was shaking with rage. The figure seemed to continue shrinking.  
  
"Master said that of me?" The figure seemed gratified, even enthralled by the fact the no deceased Lord Voldemort had talked of him.  
  
"Then again, he said a lot of things, like he would live forever for one." A harsh laugh excaped the old man's lips.   
  
Harry sense that the old man's change of voice to quiet was more dangerous that if he had continued screaming.  
  
The old man continued, "So, you cannot even prove yourself worthy of the air you breathe. That's okay you will simply have to be reminded why failure is not an option."  
  
"No, sir, I beg of you. I will try harder. I will, I swear it." The figure was pleading.  
  
'I know you will." That was the last words uttered until the screaming came from the figure. A strange orange mist drifted out of the old man's wand and instantly the figure came into a sort of fit. His body was shaking, sputtering, and moving like it were possessed.  
  
"Harry," Ginny whispered, "What is that gas?"  
  
"It's demonicguire, it makes the person feel the effects of being possessed, except the user gets total control and access to the tortured mind. It is a horribly effective form of torture."  
  
"I'd say." Ginny shuddered.  
  
The figure continued to twist in agony. The hood came off, it was McNair.  
  
"Harry, isn't he supposed to be dead?" Ginny gasped.  
  
"Or something along those lines."  
  
McNair, nicknamed Deaky stopped withering. He stood up. "I will try again."  
  
"Damn right you will." The old man began laughing again.  
  
"I will never understand why he decided to curse himself into confusion whenever he doesn't wish to talk anymore," Deaky picked up his hooded cloak and began moving for the hall, Ginny and Harry moved pictures so watch him leave, "I suppose he is a bit of a liability factor, this way if he's captured.." The door slammed behind him.  
  
"He can't be interrogated," Harry finished the sentence for Deaky.  
  
For the next two days the old man continued to bounce around eccentrically from room to room and generally behave as you would imagine any normal insane asylum candidate would act.  
  
"Harry there's no point hanging around here." Ginny was bored. They had gone through all the portraits, tried to interrogate or interview each person, but they got no helpful information.  
  
"Moody said three days, didn't he?" Harry feared his mind was slipping, this house had that effect on you."  
  
"He's charmed to be crazy, we've got no chance of him catching on," Ginny's voice was going on in a bored tone, "to us being here."  
  
Harry had stopped listening at "catching on," Something had triggered some memory. When they had accidentally slipped into the portrait of Hermione and Ron's office. It had been something about them catching on. Ginny had pulled out a magazine which she was now laughing at. But Harry's wheels kept clicking in his brain. Who was supposed to catch on, and to what for that matter? Ginny was now laughing hysterically.  
  
"Gin, would you mind quieting down, I'm kind of having a thinking moment right now."  
  
"Sorry Harry, but the things Rita Skeeter wrote in here are a riot. "She had a lovely ceremony." Harry, why would she lie about such things?"  
  
"Wait, Hermione's deal with her!" Harry was remembering something, something he hadn't thought about in a long while.  
  
Ginny looked puzzled, "What deal does 'Mione have with Rita Skeeter?"  
  
"Well in our fourth year Hermione discovered that Rita was an illegal animagus. She was a beetle actually, that's how she got her 'scoop', so Hermione managed to capture her in a jar and made her swear to stop writing lies about people, which is an oath she had faithfully followed, until recently. Unless..." Harry was lost in thought again.  
  
"Really, would you mind finishing your sentences? It would make life a lot more bare-able for me." Ginny was a little spiffed about that fact that her partner was not including her on some brainstorming he was currently having.  
  
Harry took none of this in. About a week ago now he supposed, the scandal broke about him and Ginny, about a week ago Harry supremely pranked Hermione and Ron. And Hermione had sworn her revenge. Then a week later she was fine and all "No hard feelings" about the whole deal. Something about that did not add up.  
  
And the fact that a false scandal broke out with Rita Skeeter leading it all, when she was currently still under blackmail of Hermione, and Hermione still was silent about Rita's illegal activity...  
  
Harry remembered something, from fifth year, when Hermione had used Rita and Luna to help Harry's image with the public. She had encouraged him to use the press. She always used the press.  
  
Hermione was behind it, it all fit. The way the press covered it, the type of scandal, her sudden forgiveness, Rita Skeeter being involved and still remaining out of the renovated Azkaban. Hermione had cooked up the rumor about Harry and Ginny getting married as a revenge on the two of them for the Teddy Bear prank. And they almost deserved it!  
  
"Gin, I need to tell you something. But, it's time to go." Harry noticed with sudden excitement, "Lets get the hell out of here."  
  
"One one condition: You must tell me the instant we get back." Ginny's tone wasn't a questioning one, it was an order.   
  
"Of course," Like Harry would dare answer saying anything else.  
  
The two quickly got out of the portrait and entered the field. They didn't even feel like exploring, the simply found the correct door, entered and found themselves in Moody's office, which was a mess as always. Clearly it was late because nobody was in the office area at all, but it was clear that Moody and the Twins had had a battle at least three days previous because things were still magically fixing themselves.  
  
They arrived at Harry's house and it was late, Ginny was practically wetting herself in attempts to get Harry to disclose his information, which were useless.  
  
They went inside, and directly into Harry's study, which was neat, orderly, yet still eclectic. He sat at his desk and proceeded to tell Ginny exactly what Hermione was up to, and how Ron may have been involved.  
  
"I'm gonna kill them!" Ginny was fuming. Harry reached over and grabbed her arm.  
  
"Ginny, calm down, everything will be all right now. We just have to tell Hermione we know."  
  
"WHAT HARRY?!?!" Ginny clearly had a much better idea of something along those lines, "Harry, we now have the upper hand. They don't know we know. We can use this to our advantage."  
  
"Ginny, don't you think it would be easier if we didn't get all confuddled in this?"  
  
"Confuddled, what are you talking about. This will be a piece of cake, all we have to do is come up with a suitable course of action to get our revenge."  
  
"Gin, I really want to end all of this, I mean, its all gone on long enough."  
  
"Harry James Potter, since when have you been a quitter?"  
  
"I'm not but, come on, realistically what can we do?" Ginny leaned forward and proceeded to tell him exactly what they 'could' do. Within the hour they had formed a fully operational plan, it wasn't elaborate, but it would work for them.  
  
Three days later...  
  
"HERMIONE, I can't take this anymore. They are all over each other, and all over the place."  
  
It was a Monday morning, and Ginny and Harry were now officially more than a third of the way in on their plan to get revenge.  
  
"Ron, she just moved into the spare bedroom. Its not like they are dating, they work together, they're friends, and if they got together it would just prove that our plan worked and your brothers plan succeeded as well. Honestly, thing work out in your favor and your still unhappy. I thought you wanted them to get together!" Hermione said this to him accusingly.  
  
"I did, until I realized they could, I can now see this is a horrible idea, it must be stopped at once. I have got to go see my brothers." Ron turned to go out the fire when Hermione stopped him.  
  
"Ron, no. This is getting unreasonable. Either you want them together, or not. You need to decide you can't keep making plans to get them together or spilt them up, which they are not together, yet anyway. And if they want to get together you can't break their happiness Ron. You have to be a supportive older brother. Even if it kills you!"  
  
"Fine," Ron's vein in his forehead had calmed a bit. But he added, "I still have got to talk to my brothers, at least to calm down."  
  
"Whatever, but be back in time to go out tonight."  
  
"Oh yeah! Its Monday, let's go get trashed!"   
  
Hermione just rolled her eyes and went back to work. Ron twirled his watch dial and went to the Weasly brother clubhouse.  
  
Harry and Ginny's office was a different story...  
  
"Did you see my brother's face when I announced I was moving in." Tears of laughter was streaming down both Harry's and Ginny's eyes.  
  
"Gin, I think it's time we enacted step 2." Harry leaned against the wall with a smirk.  
  
"You think the timings right?"   
  
"Yeah, it is perfect, Ron's gonna have kittens, but does it really matter?  
  
"No, oh by the way, are we still going to go out with them tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, we might as well." Harry laughed and got back to work.  
  
Upcoming: What happens when Ginny meets a guy that could be the man of her dreams?(AND HE'S NOT HARRY!) And how will Harry win her back? And how will Ron's opinion change? and all that other jazz?  
  
Please review, I think I'll hold the next story ransom for at least three reviews. So if you wanna know how this all winds up (which it will in the next few chapters probably) Review!  
  
Thanks a lot for reading. Review!lol! 


	14. How to Become Infamous

Disclaimer: Yup  
  
Chapter 14: How to Become Infamous  
  
Harry looked across the bar at her. They were with Ron and Hermione as it was the Monday night drinking ritual for them and they were celebrating, which was why Harry tagged along. Somehow, word about the news had spread like wildfire and all of their old friends from Hogwarts were popping up out of no where to congratulate Ron and Hermione. Nobody in the original part of the party (Weasley's, plus Hermione and Harry) was drunk simply because it would be in the tabloids the next morning, and Molly Weasley yelling at the lot of them would not mix well with a hang-over. Harry ordered another Fire whiskey, why was it that everytime something good happened in his life, something negative had to cancel it out? Here he was supposed to be celebrating Ron and Hermione's news, but then....  
  
That afternoon, Harry had received a owl from Ginny, who had stepped out of the office for a bit in order to get some coffee, real coffee, not the stuff the scary records clerk in the office made. The note from the owl read:  
  
_ Harry,   
  
I really hate to leave you hanging and abandon the plan but I just met the man of my dreams, really, I hate to sound like an adolescent, but he's a riot and he's gorgeous. I'm going to take the rest of the afternoon off in order to get to know him; do you think you could cover for me? I'll still go out with you lot tonight, but I'll probably bring him.   
I was just thinking, don't you think this (me getting a man, possibly, fingers crossed) would flip Ron out more? I think so because Hermione would be spending the whole afternoon calming him down and such.   
  
I'll talk to you tonight Hun and don't play any evil pranks on my brother ,  
  
Ginny  
_  
Harry sat back in his comfortable office chair and thought. There was just the note, sent around 1 o'clock. He covered and said she was out on assignment. He wondered why he was bothering to do so, he wouldn't do it for anyone else who was skipping work, especially for a new "love".   
  
And who was this guy she met who was gorgeous, and wonderful and perfect in every way? She didn't even mention who he was. Really would a name kill her? Harry thought, a women like Ginny, who was so detail orientated couldn't even put herself out enough to mention a name.  
  
The man was probably a former enemy, it was probably Draco Malfoy. She probably met up with him at the coffee shop, he probably slipped some love potion in her drink and tricked her. Yeah that sounded about right. He was gonna kill Malfoy.  
  
No, Ginny wouldn't talk to him, and besides, he was in France right now. So who was this wonderful man, the man who had tricked his Ginny....  
  
WAIT! "His Ginny?" Since when had he, Harry Potter, began calling Virginia Weasley his? And why did he care that she had met someone? She was always complaining of being single and how boring it was. Harry always agreed with her and assumed that they would always have each other, he had never expected her to actually find some one.   
  
The shock was wearing off now, that she had found some one. A new emotion was surfacing, what was this feeling that Harry was now feeling in such large quantities?  
  
Loss? Why should he feel like he had lost something? She was definitely never his. He never was with her. But Ginny in a way was his and he was hers. They had gone through things together, painful things, things that, whether they liked it or not, brought them close to one another in ways they would otherwise not be. So why did he feel like he had lost her?   
  
Harry leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk, and rubbed his eyes, why was he thinking about her so hard so suddenly. He had enjoyed being with her these past few weeks, they had finally worked through some things that were definitely awkward for the two of them. And now this....  
  
There was a knock on the door, it was Ron. He appeared to not be upset or angry in the slightest, good sign. In fact he looked absolutely beaming. Suddenly something clicked in Harry's head.  
  
"So you finally asked her Ron?" Harry couldn't hide his joy for his friends, even though personally he as feeling nothing of the sort.  
  
Ron could barely get any words out so he just nodded in a goofy way. "Yeah, she said yes, I'm so lucky," Ron looked still shocked, "So, lucky..."  
  
"Damn straight your lucky mate. Hermione, now she's one of my oldest and dearest friends, and there are two things that I need to tell you now that she's accepted you." Harry knew he really shouldn't mess with his friend who was in such a good mood, but whatever.  
  
"What are they?" Ron now looked nervous, like there were evil reasons behind his apparent good luck.  
  
"One, she's one of my closest and oldest and dearest friends ever, besides you Ron, if you do anything to hurt her, besides stupid marital things, I will have to kill you, it will pain me to do so, but she's the closest thing I have to an actual sister, and I have to watch out for her."  
  
"Oh, Harry, mate, don't worry, I know where your coming from, if anyone where to try to get with Ginny he would get the same speech except much more menacing." Ron looked relived, "In fact, I don't ever plan on ever doing anything to hurt Hermione, it would kill me too. I love her too much."  
  
"Good, now Ron, there's the second thing." Harry was really going to jerk him around now, "You realize she is way too good for you. She's too good looking and way to smart. You are trading up in all ways possible. You had better appreciate that!"  
  
"Come here you prat," Ron knew Harry was joking around, but Ron was self conscious enough to actually believe he didn't deserve Hermione, and plus he just wanted to try and beat his best friend's head in, all for good fun.  
  
They were laughing rather hard and had a couple of odd curses on each other by the time Hermione busted in, beaming.  
  
"Harry, Ron's already told you by now, I'm sure," She paused, and took in the scene before her, "If either of you two did anything permanent to the other you'll be put up in front on the Misuse of Magic Committee, and I'm not kidding," The guys were laughing a lot harder now, they knew she wouldn't let them go down and if she did report them, she would defend them as well, "And Potter, if you messed up my fiancé, I will kill you."  
  
"Whatever Hermione," Harry's legs were rather wobbly, "Do you think you could do the counter jinx?"  
  
"Oh, sure, for the both of you, Relaxico," Instantly, the weird movements and noises ceased. "Are you two ready to be off, the night is young, and we finally have something to celebrate tonight!" Ron popped up and grabbed her arm and escorted his future wife out of the office, leaving Harry to switch the lights and lock up. He closed his office door with a heavy heart.  
  
So here he was now. Watching Ginny and some man he was introduced to called Mick Regaloo. He sounded like a criminal, or spaghetti sauce. Ron appeared to agree at first, until he got a glance from Hermione and shook the man's hand and acted like an adult. Harry only acted like an adult on the outside, inside he was cursing and planning very painful ways on murder for the man to endure, the only problem was that he could only kill him once. But why did he want to kill him, why did he care at all.  
  
Suddenly, Harry was lifted up by the arms, it was Ron, "Come on Mate, we've still got two more bars to hop over to, and the press outside is going to have a field day with the drunk boy who lived. Hey, Hermione! Ginny, is there a back entrance here?" Harry registered some kind odd screams over loud music then Ron bellowed, "Well these bloody bafoones better get one."  
  
Harry suddenly felt very much alive, "Ron, mate, I'm fine, I can make it out to the cab and to the next couple of bars, really I can."  
  
"Now that's sounding more and more like our favorite seeker!" Ron cheered as he ushered the crowd out the door.  
  
By the time they reached the next club, Club XYZ, everyone in the car was exceptional on their way to consuming the maximum about of alcohol a body can handle. Hermione, who was usually a very calm person literally bouncing off of the wall. Fred and George, whom they had met up with were setting random things and people on fire, not to mention flirting with any and every pretty girl they noticed.  
  
Somehow, Hermione got it into her head that a barmaid named Madeline was in love with Ron, and Hermione, being who she is, just could not leave the girl alone until she convinced her otherwise. "Listen wench, I really dunno where you get off, but clearly he is with me, so if you'd be so kind, back off."  
  
The barmaid couldn't have been more than twenty-one years old. She clearly had on first impression thought Ron was cute, but now, upon meeting his girlfriend, now (she had been informed!) fiancé, she only felt sorry for him having to deal with this crazy drunk woman. "Really Miss Granger, I'm not interested in him at all, could you please leave me alone?" At first Hermione wondered how the girl knew her name, then she realized the maid must have recognized her from pictures in the news.  
  
Hermione was just not buying this, "You keep looking at him and smiling, stop, STOP!" Hermione reached across the bar and tried to attack the woman.  
  
Luckily for the poor girl Harry, Ron and George were able to restrain Hermione in time to stop the full out muggle attack.  
  
Needless to say, the group didn't stay at that bar too long. If Harry had been thinking clearly, he would have begun to worry about what the wizard press was going to print come morning, but for now he was content planning ways to kill Ginny's new boyfriend.  
  
The group arrived at the Hogshead a little after two in the morning. Luckily the usually following of wannabes had deserted them, leaving just the old crowd. Bizarrely, a bunch of the old friends from Hogwarts had showed up. Even Cho who Harry hadn't seen in two years. And he really hadn't wanted too. When she came up to chat with him, he prayed silently for her to go away.  
  
Then when she did he looked over at Ginny and Mick, God, thought Harry, that didn't even sound right together. How could she be with a man who's name didn't mesh with her own? Ginny, such a stylish woman, couldn't even figure out how bad they sounded Mick and Ginny, it hurt him just to think it. Then the thought that kept swirling around in his mind had finally come full circle, why did he care who Ginny was with, she wasn't his, never was and never would be. Ouch, Harry proceeded to order a round of shots for the bar. Harry glanced over down the bar one final time. She was happy looking, she also looked completely wasted, but then again so was he.  
  
Harry lifted himself heavily to his feet, which was difficult. He trotted over to Ron and Hermione, then a thought struck him down like lightening. Was this Mick fellow a wizard? A proper one? He must be to get into Hogsmeade. Or did he have to be? What if he was a muggle or a deatheater? Wait was he himself, being something he always accused Moody of being, paranoid?  
  
Suddenly the world began to spin. Harry clearly should not have tried to walk. Someone in the distance yelled "TIMBER!" and Harry passed out, in fact he cleared a whole spot in the room.   
  
Harry vaguely came to probably much sooner than any normal person who had consumed so much alcohol. He looked around. Several tables had been pushed together to form a make-shift cot for him to sleep it off. Most people in the room that had been there pre-passing out where gone. The only people remaining were the barkeeper, Aberforth, Ron and Hermione in one corner of the bar, Fred and George, respectively, with girls in corners of the room, Cho and Dean Thomas, a group of people Harry was sure he knew from some where and then he spotted them. Cuddling and giggling in a corner booth: Ginny and Mick.  
  
Harry, who was mad, and now had a throbbing headache and was feeling completely sick walked haphazardly over the uneven wooden floor and stopped directly in front of them.  
  
Ginny was the first to look up, "What do you want Harry?"  
  
"I want you..." That was a completely stupid thing for Harry to say. He would have to think quick to cover this up. He didn't want her. Then, somewhere in his water-logged brain something really clicked for the first time that evening. He was in love with Ginny, he always had been somewhere deep down, in a place where he tended to ignore. And now here she was, happy and she looked to be in love. And she was glaring up at him, as if he were a drunk moron. Well he wasn't going to take that away from her, it wasn't fair. Not to her, he could move on, she'd be happy, but not with this Mick fellow... })SMACK){... "I want you to take this retard out of my bar." Harry had punch Mick. Why? No idea as to the answer to that question. Would Harry remember? No, definitely not. Harry trumped out of the dingy doors of the Hogshead with all eyes staring at him. Harry hailed the Knightbus, and went home. He was definitely calling in to work tomorrow. Screw Moody and the scary secretary lady, he was going through something traumatic here. For one, his friend had deserted him on a killer plan, two, he realized that he was in love with her, and three, he now realized that he had completely missed his chance with her. All and all, Harry deserved at least one day to sulk and wallow in self pity.  
  
Harry stumbled up his steps, burst open his door, tip-toed up his stairs as to not wake up Mrs. Black, and crawled into his bed. The last thought on his mind before he drifted off to sleep were not of how he was going to patch up things with Ginny, or make up a suitable excuse tomorrow for skipping work. No, Harry, after years of making plans and going on grand adventures, began to develop an elaborate plan. He had lost too much in his life, parents, friends, and Sirius. His death had been the hardest to bare. He had lost so much, and now he had lost the one thing he had always thought he had. Ginny needed to be with Harry, and somehow, the stubborn side of Harry wouldn't let him get off the fact that maybe she just wasn't interested. She wanted to be with him once, when they were younger, she would realize she loved him again. Fate had made them partners at work , they were meant to be together and she knew it, even if he had to force her to remind it. He loved her, with that final thought Harry rolled over on his side in bed and fell asleep with a huge smile on his face. He was blissfully unaware of the screaming match that awaited for him in the morning.  
  
A/N: Hey, decided to update anyway. I can't wait to write the screaming match... it'll be fun. Please review if you like it or have any suggestions on what should happen and all that jazzy stuff! THANK YOU MUCH! 


	15. A Return to the Old Ways

Disclaimer: You've got the picture by now....  
  
Joe the Yankee's Fan,  
  
Red Sox RULE!! They were cursed like everything else in New England, but it will be okay. And just so you know, Ron is a Chicago Clubs fan! Theres nothing wrong with cheering for the underdog. Look at the Patriots... Had to clear a few things up for all you people out there wondering what I'm going on about.. But thank you very much for reviewing, and Harry will not be losing the Prank War...it seems like he will though at the present though...  
  
Chapter 15: The Return to the Old Ways  
  
Harry rolled over, his head was killing him and he felt depressed. He looked over at his clock, it read 10:30. His vision was almost blurred by the insanity of his headache. He had no idea what he did last night. Harry sat up, slowly, and looked around. Good, he was in his bedroom, it was always a good sign if he wound up in his room, if he was somewhere he didn't recognize, that was a bad omen. The curtains were tightly drain yet sunlight was still seeping though, making Harry squint. Harry noticed a stamp on the back of his hand, it read XYZ, what did that have to do with anything? Oh wait, that was the name of a club they all went to last night.  
  
The smell of bacon was wafting up the stairs and into Harry's room. Harry sighed, he was lucky his hangover wasn't too bad. He did exactly want to eat, but he wanted to know who was in his kitchen, hopefully it was Ginny, SHIT GINNY! Wait what was it he did last night... he really had better figure it out. At least now he realized why he was feeling so depressed. What was she doing abandoning a perfect plan anyway? He was going to have to get her as well.  
  
Harry shrugged off his covers and left his room. The hall was gloomy as ever, he really needed to work on the upstairs of the house. He walked down the stairs, murmuring could be heard in the kitchen which was all the way down the downstairs hall.  
Harry strolled in and walked to the table completely unnoticed by Hermione and Ginny who were standing side by side at the fireplace talking.  
  
Harry looked down the right side of the table, Ron as standing there completely green. He was next to the stove. Ron was an exceptional cook. Harry glanced to his left. A handsome, burly man he vaguely recognized sat next to him, he had a large black eye. The man looked extremely tired. Harry would have sworn he recognized him. "Excuse me, I'm Harry, do I know you?" It seemed a fair question to Harry, after all it was his kitchen.  
  
The poor man sitting next to Harry didn't even get the chance to respond, Ginny swung around, positively fuming. "Harry this is Mick, the man you non-chaluntedly decked last night!!"  
  
A stream of memories hit Harry like a bolt of lightening and Harry was immediately plunged with guilt. Why had he hit the poor man? "Look I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you why I did it. Honestly, you can hit me if you like, fair's fair."  
  
Mick just looked shocked by Harry's sincerity. "It's fine, really it is." Harry did a double take, the man spoke with a thick mid-western American accent.  
  
Harry thought he was off the hook. Harry was wrong.  
  
"I don't know where you learned your sense of manners Mister, but you don't treat people like that." Ginny was raging still, she was forcibly reminding everyone in the room of Mrs. Weasley right about now. She pointed her wand to the cabinet and plates and cups all flew out of the cabinet at such a speed Harry narrowly missed being decapitated.  
  
"Gin, you know how I grew up," Harry was cut off.  
  
"Don't you dare try to give me the 'I grew up with the Dursley's speech.' You know what is right and what is wrong!" Ginny finished the last big rather shrilly, "And punching my fiancé is wrong!"  
  
Harry now remembered why he hated this man; he could barely contain himself from saying, "You fiancé? YOU JUST MET HIM!"  
  
Ron whipped around so fast he dropped his skillet of bacon, "Ginny as your brother I cannot allow this!" He grabbed his watch and began twisted it and turning it and tapping it in odd ways that if the group hadn't been so busy fighting, they would have made fun of him.  
  
Hermione spoke next, "Ron, I've talked to her, she says they have a connection! You can't deny a connection." She said connection like it was a matter of life or death.  
  
Clearly in Ron's opinon, a connection couldn't be made in 24 hours; at least not with him baby sister. Ron looked at her like she was retarded and telling him that the sky wasn't blue, "CONNECTION?!? CONNECTION?!? The only connection this man's having with any Weasley is my foot right up his-"  
  
"RONALD, WHY ARE YOU BEING SUCH A BULL-HEADED BROTHER? CAN'T YOU BE HAPPY FOR ME FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR? WOULD IT KILL YOU!?" Ginny was shaking with rage, but Ron never knew when to back down.  
  
"Your way to young, and you just met him!"  
  
"Ron does have a point Ginny," Harry felt that this was a good time to help his best friend out, "No offense man, but for all we now you could be a serial killer." Mick just shrugged, he really didn't want to get involved.   
  
"Of course, you always side with him. Hermione, you agree with me right?" Ginny was desperately trying to get some allies in the kitchen.  
  
"Well, Gin, it is a bit soon don't you think?" Hermione was biting her lower lip. She had been a part of the 'trio' too long, if she had to pick a side over something that in her opinion was almost trivial, she would stand with them or not stand at all. It was something that the group had grown up with, it was like telling a newborn turtle not to go into the ocean.  
  
"Of course you would agree with them, the three of you, the 'wonder' trio, your all so.. so... all for one and one for all... and you Hermione your so, overbearing, and you Ron, your so overprotective," Ginny was panting now, "and you Harry, your so... so.."   
  
What Harry was they never knew because instantly all six Weasley brothers apparated into the now roaring kitchen, bringing the grand total of angry Weasley's to eight.  
  
Charlie spoke first, "Ron, how could this have happened, a code orange! What is she thinking?"  
  
Percy spoke next, "Ginny as your only reasonable brother, I feel it is my duty to let you know you are rather young and you are rushing into things very suddenly."  
  
George roared, "Where is the Prat, we'll kill him!"  
  
"Whoa, Gin, why didn't you mention you had seven brothers?" Mick looked terrified.  
  
Ginny glanced over her shoulder at him, "It never came up. Besides, you could handle them in a heart beat," she raised a eyebrow, "right?"  
  
"Oh yeah, sure no problem," The man looked downright near wetting himself. "Look Ginny, I think I gotta go to work."  
  
"Oh no you don't mate," Fred pushed him back down into his seat, "let's stay and talk a while."  
  
Bill came over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Oh yes, we've got plenty to talk about." He said it in a rather menacing way. It was clear that no matter how scary the others could be, Bill was definitely the leader, and would always top them in madness.  
  
Suddenly the fireplace burst into life, Green smoke enveloped the kitchen, and Molly Weasley's voice filled the kitchen. "What are you all doing?"  
  
Instantly all of her children, who were now adults, looked down. "I don't know what all of my sons are doing here, but you six have some explaining to do." She pointed to Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Hermione and Harry.  
  
"Oh Mum, your not in on this as well are you?" Ginny looked frustrated and aggravated.  
  
Mrs. Weasley only glared at her. "I am involved in nothing that those brothers of yours cooked up. I am however going to be involved in the beating and murder of you all if someone doesn't explain what is going on!"   
  
Ginny's fiancé stayed exactly where he was. Not moving, which was probably the best decision he could make.  
  
The people who Mrs. Weasley was acknowledging stood in place, afraid to move, at all. She was like a bear, make any sudden movements and you were dead.  
  
She whipped out a magazine. On the cover was a very toshed Harry and Ron, holding each other up, loading into a taxi. The headline read, "The Boy Who Lived Lives It up!"  
  
"WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES, FOR THE SHAME YOU'VE BROUGHT TO YOUR FATHER AND ME?"   
  
"Well Mom," Fred was clearly being very brave here, "At least we weren't drinking and driving!"  
  
"Yeah, we'd spill our drinks," added George.  
  
"Don't you be fresh with me young men! I am so sick of this nonsense you all bring upon yourselves all the time. "I never thought I could be so ashamed."  
  
"Mum, I had nothing to do with this!" Percy looked terrified, clearly he had gone to exceptional lengths to remain in Mrs. Weasley's good graces since the estrangement.  
  
"Then why are you here? Why the hell are all of my children here in this kitchen?" Mrs. Weasley looked puzzled.  
  
"Well Mom," Charlie hesitated, "We got a message from Ron.."  
  
"What was it, the message to party? I'm surprised your all not in here, just those six..." She pointed a shaking pointer finger.  
  
"Mum, we weren't all involved, we are here to stop another crisis!" Bill looked pleadingly at her.  
  
"I'll deal with that next, first you six, the rest of you OUT!" The three oldest of her boys ran from the room, the rest cowered into the back of the wall.  
  
She had them backed into the corner, "You!" She pointed at Ron, who was known to crack under pressure, "Explain!"  
  
"Well Mum," Ron's ears were getting redder and redder by the minute. "We were kinda, sorta, celebrating."  
  
"Celebrating what may I ask?" Molly's eyes were bulging.  
  
"Um, well, you see, yesterday, I kind of.. well I asked Hermione to marry me."  
  
"YOU WHAT!?!?" Everyone took three steps back and hit there heads into the wall. "That's WONDERFUL!! Come here my darling girl, this is marvelous, and not a moment too soon!" Any trace of anger had momentarily vanished. Then it came.  
  
"So what's your excuse Virginia?" Molly had that look back in her eye.  
  
"Oh, um.. I was celebrating an engagement as well."  
  
"Yes! It's about time." Then to everyone's surprise, Molly hugged Harry, "This is just fantastic!"  
  
Harry suddenly became very uncomfortable. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm not the one who is to marry your daughter."  
  
"What, well, if your not going to, then who is?"  
  
"He is," and Harry "You probably read about how he got his shiner in the paper."  
  
"Oh, I never read the article." Then she turned around and stared at he man who had said nothing all morning to her. "So who are you, where are you from, and how long have you known my daughter?"  
  
"Well," He began in his most polite American accent, "I'm Mick, I'm from America, and I've known Ginny for almost 24 hours."  
  
"24 hours? That's all is it?" Molly looked like she was going to faint. Then a sudden change in emotion made everyone in the room even more nervous, "Out everyone out! Except you," she pointed to Harry, "You stay exactly where you are."   
  
Everyone in the room except Harry breathed a collected sigh of relief and booked it to the door, Ron spared Harry a pitying look, and mouthed, "Good luck!"  
  
Harry wished he hadn't gotten up that morning. He was an adult, he had defeated Voldemort and other nameless, talented wizards and witches, yet there were a few people in the world he still feared and he wasn't ashamed to say that Molly Weasley was one of them.  
  
Molly went to the stove, waved her wand and instantly a tray of tea and snacks was made. She directed it to the table, then she proceeded to the door. Here is where she stepped on the Extendable Ears Fred and George thought they could get away with. She lifted them to her ear and yelled, "BACK OFF!" Then she cast a seal on the door. Clearly she and Harry were to have a real adult conversation.  
  
She sat down at the table and motioned for him to sit across from her. He didn't dare not do as he was directed. He was now in the eye of the storm.  
  
"Explain Harry, explain it all and explain it now." Molly's voice wasn't threatening, or violent, as he had expected it to be; her voice was warm and nurturing, the voice of a mother speaking to her child; the voice Harry had never heard.  
  
"Explain what exactly?" Harry was puzzled.  
  
"Explain to me why your so somber and hardworking at the office, explain why you act like your a stranger whenever you come around the house, like your not family," Mrs. Weasley was cut off.  
  
"I'm not family," Harry interjected.  
  
"Oh pish-posh, you a son to Arthur and me, and we're proud to have you. You know damn well we would have adopted you in a heart beat, but it wasn't our call, Dumbledore said no."  
  
"Dumbledore, that man always had my best interest at heart, yet he never exactly did what was best for me looking back on it."  
  
"You know he did the best he could for what he knew at the time. He, just like everyone else, is human."  
  
"Don't start on me about being human."   
  
"Why Harry, your just as human as anyone else."  
  
"I disagree," Harry put his elbows on the table and propped his face in his hands.  
  
"Why do you disagree Harry?"  
  
"Because everyone else doesn't have to go through the things I've had to, and if they have they didn't survive it. They got the chance to release and die. I've been forced to stay here, suffer, and now watch the woman I love marry some other man."  
  
"It's because your made of different stuff than the rest of us." Molly's eyes were twinkling.  
  
"You practically said I was as human as everybody else."  
  
"But not everybody is the same Harry. Some live, and never experience pain. And some people have to live their whole life with a shadow of pain, guilt and that's just the way it is. However, that doesn't mean that people who are destined for pain cannot be happy. It just means that they have to work a little harder than the masses."  
  
"You don't understand. I've lost people I loved. I watch Sirius die, I never even got to meet my parents. I've.."  
  
Mrs. Weasely shushed him, "Harry, we all lose people, but we owe it to them to continue. Don't you agree?"  
  
"I guess," Harry sighed.  
  
"Do you really have to guess Harry?"  
  
"No, I know."  
  
"Good, now explain to me why your not marrying my little girl and that American is. I'm sure he's a nice enough young man, but he is not you, and that is unexceptable."  
  
"Pardon me, that's unexceptable? Why is that so?"  
  
"Harry, I think you've been friends with my Ron a little too long, the need to have things spelled out for you has rubbed off in the worst of ways. I always figured, in my heart, that you and Ginny would eventually fall in love. Why is that not so?"  
  
"Well, I definitely thought I loved her, but apparently I didn't because she's with him."  
  
"Harry, that just means you didn't tell her. It doesn't mean she doesn't love you. Seriously, you should have told her when you got the chance, tell her sometime soon, like while your alone with her at work."   
  
"Fine, but I don't think she'll want to talk to me."  
  
"Why not Harry?"  
  
"Because I may have knocked her boyfriend out last night..." Harry said sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, is that the reason why he's all banged up? I thought he was just a criminal."  
  
Harry's somber eyes met hers and Molly laughed, "Listen, just apologize to her if it comes up. She's reasonable."  
  
Harry stared at her.  
  
"Okay, so maybe my daughter isn't that reasonable, but she is forgiving, and besides, she's loved you for years."  
  
"Really?" Harry said in a very eager voice.  
  
"Yes, now I'm going to go, and by the way dear, if you lot show up in the tabloids again in such a manner I will have to kill you. No joke." With that Molly Weasely winked and proceeded out of the kitchen and into the hall where everyone was waiting. "And for you lot..." She began screaming. Harry was quite sure the Twins were getting blamed for it.  
  
Harry began to sip some tea just as a certain redhead walked in, and she was smiling.  
  
"Hey Harry, I just slipped away, Mum is just now lecturing the twins on the importance of being good role models for their younger siblings. So I decided we needed to have a little chat." Instantly her nice and sunny demeanor changed.  
  
"Why did you attack Mick?"  
  
Harry answered honestly, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me Potter."  
  
"Well," Harry was thinking, here's your moment, tell her you love her, do it, do it now!, "I actually need to tell you something, something major." Why did he have to sound like a teenager now, today, he was supposed to be mature here.  
  
"What? Is it about me, or about Mick, or is it about Ron?"  
  
"It's about you."  
  
"Really?" Ginny clearly had two things going for her, enthusiasm and pepperup potion, clearly she had taken quite a dosage of it.  
  
"Ginny, I'm in..." Harry began.  
  
Mick suddenly poked his head through the doorway, "Ginny love, are you ready to go out?"  
  
"Yeah, just a minute Hun, what did you want to tell me Harry?"  
  
"It's nothing" Harry had lost his chance, he would just have to wait.  
  
"Are you sure? It seemed important." Ginny said as she rushed to the door.  
  
"No, really, go on." Harry faked a smile. Then when the door slammed a real one came on. He had a plan. For everything. To get back at Ron and Hermoine for the first media hailstorm concerning Ginny and he being married, a final, wondrous prank to finish them all; and a way to get Ginny back. All Harry needed now was a little time. And fortunately, there were always ways of getting more time; even if the only way to do it was to break a few rules. Oh yes, Harry was going back to his old ways, it was time to break out a few of his most prized processions, and invisibility cloak for one. By the time he was done, everything was going to be back to normal, or something similar to that.

Harry stepped outside. It was hours later, and he figured it was as good a time as any to get out of the house. A huge, tawny,barn owl swooped down, bearing four individualy addressed envelopes. Harry instantly recognized where the owl was from. Now he was left wondering, what could Hogwarts possibly want from him now?

Review, Review, Review!!!


	16. America

* * *

Chapter 16: America

Harry sat in the office with his feet propped up on his desk. What was he supposed to be doing today? He checked his calendar. Nothing! What bliss! Earlier in the week Moody had hauled Ginny and Harry into his office to explain that the Reco's were disbanded. Something to do with a grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks for a job well done, but we really need you to be doing something else. It wasn't Harry's problem. There was only one problem, now that most of the old supporters were rounded up there wasn't too much left to do. However, the ministry was keeping up numbers in the Auror department so that the public could feel safe.

He looked over his feet at the pretty red head, filling out forms and humming some song under her breath. He couldn't tell her now, there was no reason to, she was happy, she was in love with this Mick fellow. Harry had done a full background check on him, he was clean, he was innocent, and he was rich.

Ginny sighed and put down her quill, she glanced over at Harry and noticed that he was staring at her, "What, do I have something on my robes?" She began to look at her shoulder.

Harry, laughed, "No, I was just thinking how lucky Mick is, if he breaks your heart I'll have to kill him." He added the last part very seriously. He picked up his mug and began sipping on some coffee. It was cold, but he really didn't mind that at the moment. He was a little bit distracted by the girl sitting in the room with him.

"Harry, really now, why would he do that. He wants to get married in America, where we'll be living! Isn't that romantic?" Her eyes got huge.

Harry spit out his drink. Showering his whole desk in cold coffee. "What!? What do you mean your moving!"

"Oh, I hadn't told you yet? Well a few days ago he mentioned he would like to get married with his family present, and they aren't wizards, so he wanted to have us go over there. Mum's not thrilled about it, but she said that if it's what I wanted..."

"What you wanted? How could you want that Ginny? He's making you move? Leave your friends, and your family? And leave this job you worked so hard to get? He's mad!" To say Harry was upset was an understatement, his blood was boiling!

"Harry, sometimes, when you love someone, you sacrifice certain things for them. And there's not much left to do at this job"

"That's bull Ginevra! You know it!" Harry hadn't' meant to use her real name, but he was shocked to his core. "We can both go back and teach at Hogwarts, wasn't Dumbledore telling us just yesterday at dinner he would love the four of us to do that?"

"YOU! HOW DARE YOU TELL ME WHAT'S BULL! YOUR SUCH A LIAR!" Ginny had stood up so fast her chair had knocked over. "You act like you know all about love, when you've never ever felt it! How can you sit there and act like I'm making all the wrong decisions! I'm finally feeling almost happy, I haven't felt this happy in years! Don't ruin it for me Harry. Don't act like I haven't thought through all my choices. Don't be a stick in the mud!"

Harry sighed, she was going to kill him, his heart may beat, but his soul was dying. He would rather take on a hundred Voldemorts than explain the complexity of his feelings for her. Yet she couldn't leave, not his Ginny. "You can't leave! Marry him, kill me and your family, but please, don't leave us." Harry stood up and walked in front of where she was standing. He stood there, he breathed slowly. "Please Ginny, don't leave."

"I see what the problem is." Ginny said it and Harry's heart leapt. Maybe she had skipped the Weasley trait of having to have things spelled out for her. "You think that by me leaving you won't be able to be my friend anymore! Harry you can come visit anytime you like. Mick doesn't hate you for punching him, really, it's okay." She went to hug him.

Harry didn't move. He didn't do anything, he just stood there. He let her hug him. The plan would never work. It couldn't she loved Mick, Harry had lost. There was no way he could get any attention from Ginny, if there was a hug for him here or there, he didn't mind.

"Gin?" Harry asked after she broke off the hug.

"What Harry?"

"Do you think you could help me with something, before you leave?"

"Anything Harry. What is it?"

"Well, remember a few weeks back, how Hermione and Ron pranked us?"

"What are you suggesting?"

Harry wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear exactly the way they were going to plan their revenge. It was strange that the soon to be married woman didn't even think to push him away.

Like it, any suggestions? Review! I would love to hear from anyone reading it, it seems like nobody is reviewing anymore...


	17. Shoes and Socks

Chapter 17  
  
Shoes and Socks!  
  
It was late, well past midnight. Mick had "accidentally" gotten food poisoning and had turned into bed early, leaving the four old friends alone in the living room of Harry's house. Nobody mentioned the fact that Ron and Hermione would be moving out as soon as they were married. Hermione wanted to discuss it with Harry, but Ron had wisely said no, there was no reason to completely ruin Harry's spirits, what with Ginny moving away and all. The grandfather clock began chiming 12 and Ron and Hermione bid good-night to Ginny and Harry. Then they proceeded to go upstairs. "Hermione?" Ron asked in his most quiet voice.  
  
"Yes dear?" Hermione reached for his hand. They started on the third flight of stairs.  
  
"Don't you think its weird that they aren't together?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Harry and Ginny? I always thought that they would, for sure, I mean even before us."  
  
"I know what you mean Ron," They walked into their forth floor flat. "After he pulled her out of that cave-in, after he defeated Voldemort, I always assumed, but things work out like that."  
  
"'Work out like that!?' " Ron was clearly on edge, "That is not what I call working out! Working out would be if they were married, but somehow, well, why not?"  
  
Hermione reached over and wrapped her fiancé in a hug, "Things always work out in the end. I suppose we just have to hope. Besides, we're getting married next week, and we all know who the best man and maid of honor will be."  
  
Ron smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, and if they actually get to the altar, well, there will definitely be seven brothers, numerous sister in laws and one Man who lived to object!"  
  
"Oh, so we're going to the wedding now?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, it depends, the way she's been acting it's like she doesn't want us to be. She's going over there a month early to plan everything."  
  
"Yeah, isn't he leaving the day before our wedding?" Hermione said as she began to crawl into bed.  
  
"No, he's leaving in two days," Ron crossed a day of the calendar before he too went to bed. "In the morning I believe!"  
  
"Your horrible!" Hermione teased.  
  
"That's why you love me!" Ron smiled.  
  
After about an hour Ron's snores could be heard from the stairs and Harry and Ginny knew it was safe to begin.  
  
They both snuck in using Harry's invisibility cloak. Ginny shrugged it off first, and ran to the closet. She began hexing all the shoes she could get her hands on.  
  
Harry on the other hand went for socks. Why? Well that will become apparent in the morning.  
  
"Harry, are you done?" Ginny whispered.  
  
"Last one, come on, let's go!" Harry answered as he absentmindedly grabbed her hand and they bolted for the door.  
  
The two flew down the two flights of stairs to the floor where their bedrooms (respectively) were.   
  
"Um..."Ginny was thinking about how awkward this was, "Good night Harry."  
  
"Night Ginny." Harry turned, walked to his bedroom and left Ginny standing in hall, wondering why she was suddenly thinking about him so much. She shook herself mentally, and retired to her room.  
  
Harry rolled over in bed and smiled, it was bittersweet really. She was leaving, yet she was all for him. It seemed she just wanted to be friends, that's what he would give her then, even if it killed him. Especially if she helped him out; Harry laughed as he rolled over, tomorrow was going to be quite funny.  
  
Sorry this chapter is so short, I just need to have something be a bridge so I can wrap everything up nicely! Review, thanks for reading!I will update probably immediately! 


	18. Kings Cross

Chapter 18  
  
Kings Cross  
  
"So Ginny, Mick leaves today, your staying to go to Ron and Hermione's wedding this summer, and then taking off immediately?" Harry was puzzled by her plan.  
  
"Yes Harry, its not that difficult, " Ginny said as she pushed shut a drawer. "I'm putting in my two weeks notice in a couple of days."  
  
Harry's face fell, "So your just leaving, you clearly don't like being my partner anymore huh?"  
  
"Harry, you know that there is no reason to have a huge staff of Aurors anymore. Theres no place for me here."  
  
"You could always do what I'm doing..." Harry suggested.  
  
"What are you going to do anyway, you said their putting you on the reserve league, but come on now, are you returning to Quiditch or something?"  
  
"Nope, you'll just have to wait and see when the times comes, oh, but wait, I forgot, your leaving! So I guess you'll never know!" Harry laughed as he jumped up from his desk.  
  
"Your not funny Potter!" Ginny exclaimed as she rushed forward to jokingly punch Harry, which he caught her and twisted her arms behind her back.  
  
"Neither are you Weasley!" Harry was laughing as she strained to untangle herself. "Unfortunately I'll have more time here to be unfunny in Britain than you!"  
  
Ginny grew limp, "Harry this isn't funny anymore. You know I'll visit."  
  
Harry let go of her, "It still won't be the same."  
  
Ginny had nothing left to say, she opened the door just in time to watch Ron and Hermione burst in with splashes.  
  
Splashes?  
  
Step, a cup of water appeared, another step, and another cup of water appeared. The prank had worked.  
  
"HARRY JAMES POTTER! UNDO WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Hermione was so angry her face was even blotchy , spit was flying out of her mouth with each word she enunciated. She took and menacing step forward and a cup magically appeared around the area where her foot had been.  
  
"When did you get the time to do this mate?" Ron didn't look angry, in fact he was a little impressed.  
  
"You should be asking when did I get the imagination."  
  
"OK, when did you get that?" Ron really just wanted to know.  
  
"Oh, about the time I realized it was you and Hermione who set Ginny and I up in the tabloids, about us getting married, and then all that other jazz."  
  
Hermione laughed, "If that's why you did this then I do not apologize. Maybe my plan didn't work out quite as it should have, but it made you two at least think about getting together."  
  
Ginny laughed, "Why would Harry and I get together, we're just friends. Right Harry?"  
  
Ron and Hermione froze and looked at each other.  
  
"Yeah Gin, we're just friends." Harry muttered as he grabbed his green dragon leather coat and walked calmly out of the office. "I gotta go check something out guys. Ron rolled his eyes and followed his best friend.  
  
"Was it something I said?" Ginny asked puzzled.  
  
Hermione stepped forward and knocked a glass of water over. "You two are so annoying, I'll explain to you when you lift this curse off of me. Ginny flicked her wand and Hermione began to say something, then she stopped herself.  
  
"Hermione, please, what's bothering Harry?" Ginny pleaded.  
  
"It's not for me to say, just that I really hope you think about what your doing before you take off to America."  
  
Ginny nodded, "I wouldn't do it unless it felt right to Hermione, and Mick does."  
  
"All right then Ginny." Hermione was looking for a change of topic, "My dress is finished!"  
  
Ginny's face brightened. "Oh Hermione! That's so wonderful, I just wish Mick was staying to meet all of my family!"  
  
The girls continued to chat about the wedding while Ron chased Harry down the street. "Harry, slow down, please, we need to talk."  
  
"I have nothing to say! Ron, I'm so sick of all of this! She's making a huge mistake! Massive mistake." Harry muttered as he slowed down to a brisk walk.  
  
"Yeah, would you mind 'uncursing' me so I don't have water sloshing all around me when I chase you?"  
  
Harry stopped and turned around. He laughed as he noticed that the entire street was covered in cups of water. Everyone was watching Ron as he ran. With a flick of his wand the hex was off.  
  
"Thanks man, now, what's bothering you?"  
  
"Nothing, you know? Besides your sister, she's making a huge mistake!" Harry fumed.  
  
"I know man, I know! But really, we've got to just deal with it, or you need to stop her."  
  
Harr stopped in front of the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn't realized he had ran so far, how much of Muggle London was covered in cups of water? Oh well. "Hey Ron? You wanna go drinking?"  
  
Ron realized that Harry was trying very hard to calm down and act like nothing was the matter, who was he to stop him?   
  
"Yeah, let's go in."  
  
A week had passed, the wedding was in one day. Mick had left for America six days earlier and had left a very depressed Ginny. Harry had stopped talking to her. There was no need to talk to her, just to have him be hurt all again.  
  
True to form, Hermione had planned and listed everything down to the very last detail. Everything was going to be perfect, even if it killed them.  
  
Harry had done just as the invitation had instructed, meet at Kings Cross Station at 12:00 noon on Saturday. He had crossed over Platform 9 and three quarters, he noticed that he had a bit more luggage than the other guests, but then again, he was staying just a tad bit longer than everyone else.  
  
When he arrived he was jostled into a horse-less carriage. It felt strange, riding along this road without Ron and Hermione. Harry looked across from him, there sat Ginny, he hadn't talked to her in days. He looked directly into her eyes, she looked out the window. So Harry turned to the other two occupants in the carriage. He laughed aloud. "Well, Luna Lovegood, its been too long."  
  
She still had that dreamy look in her eyes, "Hmm... Oh my! Harry, I wasn't even paying attention to where I was, I still manage to do that from time to time. How has life been treating you?"  
  
"Oh, not to bad, I'm being ignored right now by a good friend though." Harry winked at her at he pointed to a still vigilant Ginny, who was staring out the window, refusing to make eye contact.  
  
"Oh, you two aren't married?" Luna winked back at Harry, for all her faults, she always could pick up on a joke.  
  
Ginny snapped however, "For your information, I'm to be married, in America, to a gorgeous, rich man who loves me!"  
  
"That's marvelous Ginny dear," Luna muttered as she fumbled with something in her purse, "Would you like to see my pet rock?"  
  
Harry grinned, "Sure I would," and Harry pretended to be interested for the next 15 minutes.  
  
They pulled up to the castle, and Harry was immediately glad to be there, he was home.  
  
Ginny hoped out and ran up the stairs. When all of the guests were assembled in the Entrance Hall, Hermione, with Ron in tow, took charge. "Everyone? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Tonight dinner will be served at 6:00 in the Great Hall. All of the students are on summer holiday so there is no need to worry about disrupting classes. You may, of course, explore the castle in order to remember to old days from when you where a student. You will be staying in your old houses tonight. Anyone who didn't go to school here, may follow Blink the house elf, he will lead you to where you will be sleeping. However, that all being said, you are more than welcome to visit any of the houses. The passwords are for Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin are as follows: JuneBUG, Wedding, tomorrow, and panic!"  
  
Neville's voice was instantly recognizable, "Oh no, I won't be able to remember all those!"  
  
"Tonight there will be a 'fun' Quiditch match for everyone, as it is now 6, lets go dine, and then your baggage will be brought up to your rooms in the duration."  
  
Harry glanced over at Ginny, she was looking at him, he knew it. Harry quickly met up with Hermione and Ron and walked into the Great Hall with them, they may be getting married, but they were still his oldest and dearest friends.  
  
Sorry, but this seems like a good place to end right now. Will update again soon. Thanks for reading, review! 


	19. The Game and Cold Feet

Chapter 19:

The Game and Cold Feet

Harry took a sip of his wine, then looked down the table past Ron and Hermione to see Ginny, sitting there quietly. She glanced over at him and looked away. Harry chuckled to himself, he still had it.  
  
After some time, and much chatter, Ron stood before all the guests, "The game will be held in 20 minutes, you all have time to go up to your rooms and change."  
  
Harry tapped Ron on the shoulder, "Are you two playing?"  
  
Hermione laughed, "Ron is, but there is no way your getting me up on a broomstick!"  
  
Harry laughed, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"  
  
Hermione began to say something but was drown out by the twins sputters of indignation.  
  
"You, our future sister-in-law is not going to play?" Fred grabbed her arm and began leading her out of the hall.  
  
George grabbed Ron and latched himself onto Hermione, "Really Ron, I thought you would marry a woman with more sense than that."  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley began walking to the doors with all of the other adults who thought themselves too old for a game of quiditch.  
  
Harry looked at his right, Ginny was walking slowly and quietly. He caught his chance and caught up to her. He looped his arm with her and said, "I expect to be playing against you like in the old days Ginevra."  
  
"Don't call me by my real name Potter!" Ginny snapped.  
  
Harry laughed, she made his job too easy, "Your going to have to make me Ginevra!"  
  
"Oh I will Potter, just wait, I'll meet you on the field in 20 minutes and I'll-"  
  
What she was going to do nobody would ever know for Peeves came galloping through the door and caught her about the waist, sending her into Harry, which he instinctually caught her. "Why Weasley-Girl, I thought you were going to bump into the door, good thing Peeve-sie caught you and sent you to Harry."  
  
"Get stuff you stupid poltergeist!" Ginny's temper was boiling over now.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, your killing me, oh wait, I'm dead." Peeves blew a wet raspberry then continued, "Though I bet you didn't mind getting caught by old Potter?" He twitched his eyebrows. "His eyes may have, in the years since I last laid eyes on him, gotten a tiny bit greener, and maybe his hair, it may be shorter now, but really still the color of a chalkboard, eh?"  
  
"PEEVES! YOUR SUCH A PAIN!" Ginny screeched as she ran from the room and up the stairs.  
  
"Really Peeves, was that necessary?" Harry asked sarcastically as he followed her.   
  
Harry traced the familiar path up to the tower, the portrait was there as always. She asked: "Password?"  
  
"JuneBUG" Harry muttered as he ran into the tower, Ginny was on her way out. "Hold on, I've got to give you a speeding ticket."   
  
Ginny dodged him, "Just be ready to lose Potter."  
  
"You know me, I'm ready for anything, but losing has got to be on the bottom of the list."  
  
Ginny didn't even reply she just stomped on down through the portrait-hole and continued down the corridor.  
  
Harry quickly rushed up to his room, changed into his quiditch clothes, grabbed his firebolt, which was now a legendary broom as they had stopped producing them and had yet come up with something greater. Harry looked the broom over with a touch of sadness as he walked down the stairs to the Great Hall, this was the broom Sirius had given him. Sirius was a very sore spot in Harry's heart. It wasn't fair that he had to lose so much so young, he saw it more and more clearly as he grew older. Harry opened the great oak doors, and remembered bolting through them to rescue Ginny. He remembered entering the cave. He remembered her lying there, beaten to pieces, just lying there, looking so helpless. Harry shook his head, hard, he needed to get those memories out of his mind, or at least to the back of it for right now.  
  
The Quiditch pitch was swarming with activity, Harry was surprised that many people were not playing. Harry turned to Hermione, who had the master list of players, "So what team am I playing on?"  
  
"Your on Team A, you lot can make up your own name, you're also the Seeker, big surprise for you."  
  
Harry laughed, "So, which team is Ginny playing for?"  
  
"She requested to be a Seeker, against you."  
  
"Oh, so I may have a little bit of competition on my hands."  
  
After about ten minutes all of Harry's team was in a huddle. Harry glanced at who he had, Fred and George, who were to be the Beaters, Angelina, who as there as one of the twins date, was playing chaser alongside Luna Lovegood and Seamus Fingan. Ron was going to be the Keeper, the team would be rather good, hopefully Ron remained over his stage-fright.  
  
Harry motioned for everyone to circle up, "Nice to be playing with most of you again."  
  
"Ditto Harry," said George.  
  
"Right then, so what will we call ourselves, we've got to have a proper name." Harry asked the group.  
  
"Well, it has to be offensive," Fred interjected.  
  
"And dirty," George added with an eyebrow twitch.  
  
"So," Harry continued, "Completely ignoring them, what do the rest of you think?"  
  
Luna spoke up, "Why don't we ne called the Floppy Windows?"  
  
George sputtered, "And you said we weren't allowed to be dirty?"  
  
"I don't know what your talking about, "Luna muttered airily,  
  
"Why don't we call ourselves the Black Dragon's?" Seamus suggested.  
  
Nobody could come up with anything better, so they left themselves as the Dark Dragon's.  
  
The other team had Charlie Weasley, Katie Bell , and Alicia Spinnet as Chasers; Bill Weasley and his wife Fluer Delacour as Beater; Oliver Wood was going to be the Keeper, oh no, Harry thought, he can actually save some goals. The other team had decided to call themselves the Hippogriff's. Naturally, Ginny was standing there, hair blowing wildly in the wind, holding onto her broom waiting patiently to have her chance as seeker. Harry couldn't wait anymore, he had to start the game now! Then suddenly, Harry felt like he was going to be ill, his stomache was filled with giant butterflies. He was going to have to work hard to contain his nerves.  
  
The crowd was large, larger than the people attending the wedding, it seemed that several people from the village had come up the the castle to watch the legendary Harry Potter in action, he would not disappoint, hopefully.  
  
Percy Weasley, who was naturally officiating the game tonight blew his whistle, this game was going to be funny with all of the Weasley children involved. "Now, listen all of you, I will put up with no disrespecting of the rules. You all will behave or be pulled from the field."  
  
Fred rolled his eyes, "Or pushed off your broom."  
  
Percy drew himself up to his full potential, "You listen here, we are not-"  
  
Ginny interrupted, "We are not having this conversation here. Can we al just play?"  
  
Percy looked rather taken aback, "Okay then, now on my whistle-"  
  
The balls were released , the whistle blew and 14 players soared into the air along with Percy. Instantly Harry began searching around for the golden snitch. He noticed Ginny out of the corner of his eye, searching around. It was dark outside, but the stands and field had been magically lit up. He watched her go this way, then that. Finally Harry was forced to move when Fred or George, he couldn't tell who, but the player was definitely on his team, hit a bludger into his direction. Harry dodged it easily and began searching on his own quest for the snitch.  
  
Suddenly, Ginny cut into a breakneck dive not 15 feet from Harry. Harry followed her and search for the snitch. Ginny pulled up about eight feet from the ground. Harry by now had figured out that she was feinting and kept on going till he was about less than a foot from the ground, everyone in the crowd and on the field gasped. Harry pulled up not a second too soon and zoomed on towards Ginny, when he came near her he whispered into her ear, "I'll make a nice little bet with you right now Ginevra."  
  
"Don't call me by my proper name Harry!"  
  
"Oh, don't stress your beautiful vocal chords Gin m'dear. So what say you, will ya take my bet?"  
  
"Depends on what it is."  
  
"I'll catch the snitch before you." Harry said.  
  
"You on Potter!" Ginny screamed as she tore off into the opposite direction.  
  
Harry chuckled, rookie mistake, she never set a wager. He had her pegged exactly where he wanted her to be.  
  
Harry now had to actually work. I might as well put on a good show, though Harry, he hear cheers. Some one had scored on Ron, they were now down by ten.  
  
Five minutes later, Harry was still searching when Seamus scored on Wood.The scored was tied, not too bad. Wood retrieved the quaffle and sent it to Charlie, who began speeding off towards Ron then he unexpectedly threw the ball over his shoulder Katie Belle. Harry recognized the move instantly as the Reverse Pass, it was an excellent move, even if if was done against Harry's team. Unfortunately it was no good, for as good as Ron was, his brother Charlie knew his weakness. The score was 80 to 10. Harry had to catch the snitch soon, or else life would be unbearable. It was funny how old Quiditch feelings came back to him after so many years of just playing pick-up games. Then Harry saw it. It was several feet from Ron's head, Harry had to get it, even though it was clear on the other side of the field.  
  
Harry threw himself flat onto the broom handle and took off towards Ron.   
  
The crowd gasped. It seemed Harry was going to attack Ron. Harry then lost sight of the snitch, then he saw it again, it was on the ground, at the bottom of the goal post. Harry tipped himself into a steep dive and took it on full speed. Then with his hand outstretched he reached for the snitch, clutching the squirming ball in his right hand. Harry sighed, they had won, he was going to be able to collect on his bet with Ginny.  
  
The stands began emptying themselves and the people were filing out onto the field to congratulate Harry's team.  
  
It was announced, "Dragon's 160! Hippogriff's 80! Dragon's WIN!!"  
  
Harry dismounted from his broom, and was clapped on the back by Fred and George, "Well done man, well done Harry."  
  
Percy walked over to him, all dignity forgotten, "That was bloody brilliant Harry!"  
  
Harry laughed, he glanced over at Ron, who was definitely busy with Hermione. Everyone continued cheering and laughing all the way up to the castle. Harry scanned the pitch for Ginny, he spotted her just off to the left of the very goal post he had dove under. He walked over to join her.  
  
"Hey Gin," Harry flashed her what he hoped was a dazzling smile, and instantly felt stupid for trying to impress her.  
  
"Good game Harry, you still have it I suppose." Ginny said without looking him in the eye.  
  
Harry gripped her shoulders, "Why are you so down? It was just a fun game of quiditch."  
  
"I know, but, well it's stupid, so-"  
  
"Ginny, you can always tell me, you know that right?" Harry looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"Harry, its not about quiditch or anything, its just that, well, being back here makes me remember everything, good and bad, and I think I may never be able to leave-"  
  
"You-"  
  
"I know I have to though. So I guess I'll just have to-"  
  
Harry interrupted her, "Ginny, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, you understand?"  
  
She nodded, and buried her head in his chest, sobbing.  
  
"So, um, why are you still crying?" Harry had her in his embrace, and wasn't blushing or anything, but was he squeezing her too tight or something?  
  
"It's just that I'm not sure if I want to move to America at all."  
  
Relief must have shown on Harry's face, "Then don't, Mick will understand."  
  
"Yeah, I think I'll just marry him there and move back here with him," Ginny began smiling.   
  
This was not the place Harry had expected to take this conversation to her staying with Mick. He put on a fake smile. "So, are you ready to go up to the castle?"  
  
"Sure," Ginny said as she looped her arm through his and began chatting aimlessly. "So Harry, what was the wager I owe you on that bet?"  
  
Harry sighed, he may have lost the battle, but not the war, he still held a few cards in his hand. "You'll see."  
  
They reached the doors and went up the staircase together. When they arrived the Gryffindor tower, Ginny and Harry went up to their own staircases, each smiling.   
  
When Harry reached his dorm, he saw Ron sitting his bed, white as a ghost. "Ron, are you okay?"  
  
Ron gulped, "No, I'm getting married tomorrow to the most beautiful scary woman on earth!"  
  
Harry laughed, "Simmer down, I'm going to get your brothers, they'll be of a lot of help in this matter seeing how a couple of them have gotten married before.  
  
After a few minutes it was all the Weasley brothers and Harry in the dorm room from Harry's childhood.  
  
Bill spoke up first, "Ron, really, you wanted to marry her when you asked her right?"  
  
Percy scoffed, "What kind of a question is that?"  
  
"Well, he may have been drunk of something!" Bill defended himself.  
  
Fred perked up, "Drunk? Like at last weeks Bachelor party?"  
  
Harry laughed, "No, never that drunk ever again!"  
  
George sighed, "Sadly, I think that was some kind of wonderful alcohol."

"You lot do not understand," Ron exclamed, "I'm marrying a woman who is smarter than she!"

Percy spoke up, "Little brother, we really neglected you, didn't we?"

Charlie nodded, "It as our duty to teach Harry and Ron the ways of the world, now is our chance to set things right."

Ron was bursting, "What do you need to 'teach' me?"

Bill sighed, "You better learn this soon enough Harry, woman are smarter than us, its a fact."

"Thats ridiculous!" Ron announced. Harry said nothing.

"No , Harry agrees, I see it in his eyes," Bill continued, "They can't do everything better than us, but, they are generall smarter than us, that is why we love, marry and fear them, all in that order usually."

"And that," stated George, "Is why we go crazy when we reach a certain age, we just plain realize we aren't going to when in their eye's and give up"

Ron was stunned, "And that works?"

Bill nodded, "It helps to add a 'Yes dear' and an 'I love you' from time to time, but that would be the general idea."

Harry almost completely agreed, "They don't always know what is best."

Fred yawned, "Not always, thats why the man is around, once in a while to remind her of what is sensible when she is too busy to see it clearly."  
  
After about two hours, Ron simmered down enough to get some sleep, and Harry himself tried to get some rest. It was no good. The nightmares returned, full blast that night. It came from being back in the place where he burried all of his horrible memories.  
  
She was alone, laying on the rock in the cave, and no matter how hard Harry ran towards her, it was never quick enough, she always died in the end.  
  
Then he returned to the grounds, the trees rustled softly in the breeze, he was once beside her and then far away. Harry called her name and she was gone.  
  
Harry sat bolt upright, he had to find her.  
  
Harry crept out of dorm room and down the stairs, he went up her stair railing, remembering boys weren't allowed in girls dorms.  
  
Harry walked softly into her room, and then he saw her bed, it was empty! Where was Ginny?  
  
Thanks to those of you who review, keep it up! Thanks for reading, review please.


	20. Don't Call Me By My Real Name

Sorry this took so long, my computer is having a wonderful time lately (did anyone catch the sarcasm?)... Anyway, I will update all of my stories ASAP! Thanks for sticking with me.  
  
ME  
  
p.s. I don't own HP, but wish I did because JK is RICH!  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Don't Call Me By My Real Name  
  
Harry tore out of the empty room like he was on fire. He knew something like this was bound to happen. It always did. He was not going to bother Ron and Hermione with this though, they were getting married come morning and did not need the extra stress, especially Hermione, who had revealed to Harry months before while planning her wedding, seriously considered becoming a chain-smoker.  
  
So Harry did what was natural to him, he went to his room, grabbed his invisibility cloak and his slightly dusty, yet useful still The Marauder's map. He was after all a marauders son, so he better well be able to locate her if she was in the castle of the castle grounds.  
  
Harry's impulsive days of taking off were not necessarily over, but he now knew better than to just leap off after a half formed plan had taken flight in his head. No, years of experience and training had taught him all too well to check to obvious first. He spread his map out over a table in the common room. He saw a dot labeled Hermione Granger-Weasley pacing back and forth in her room and the dot of Ronald Weasley was already stationary in his room. Harry glanced back at Hermione's dot, Hermione Granger-Weasley? He had expected her to keep her last name as well, but why would the map already be showing it? Unless, you have got to be kidding, there was no way they would already have been married and not mentioned it to anybody, would it?  
  
Harry had no time to ponder the craziness of his best friends, he had someone else very dear to his heart to find. He flipped through the map until he finally found who he was looking for, there she was, wondering around, "Blime!" exclaimed Harry. "What on earth would she be doing back there unless, unless. Harry was thinking hard, "that's impossible," Harry thought to himself, "He's dead, I killed him, he is..." Harry picked up his map, wand and cloak and booked it to the Chamber of Secrets.  
  
Ginny was having nothing close to a good time, after talking to Harry, her anxiety level had spiked sharply. All of the wedding talk and such was likely to drive her mad. As well as being back at Hogwarts, Hogwarts was like her second home. Everything about it brought back memories of a painful and many times dangerous childhood. She couldn't complain though, it had been exciting, but with all the old memories around every corner, came all of the old feelings about a certain man she was supposed to be well over. But there he happened to be, at ever turn. He was not making getting married easy on her. Marriage was supposed to be the happiest thing in her life, Mick was a good guy, really, he was, despite his human flaws. And he had never almost gotten her killed, never. But was that really what she wanted? To become a typical American suburban housewife of a witch?Ginny had wondered all around the castle until she came to the second most traumatic place she'd ever been. The entrance to the chamber of secrets. For some reason she could not get the valve to spin like it did. Probably because she didn't speak parsletongue. Immediately she began thinking of Harry. She knew she needed to see the chamber on last time. To attempt some kind of pathetic closure, so she could be sure all of this had really happened to her. Some how she needed to be able to remember to be able to forget and move on. She thought she had forgotten, then she began seeing him again. She knew he had all of same nightmares as her , if not worse. Ginny again tried at the tap to the facet, it would not spin properly to allow her down. She heard a whispering/ hissing noise behind her. The tap glowed and began to spin violently. The tunnel opened and she went down. She followed the tunnel, miles beneath the school and clambered through the cave-in she had scrambled out of years before. Before she knew it she arrived at another wall, with snakes guarding it. Again the strange hissing and the snakes moved and gave her entrance to the chamber. She walked along its floor. She gasped, the skeleton of the snake still lay there, after all these years, with one fang missing. She knew were it was. Ginny sat down on the floor and began to talk, she knew nobody could hear her. She knew nobody would answer, but somehow she had managed to get down here, even though she didn't speak snake. She laughed, life was bizarre.  
  
"So, chamber that almost killed me, I'm back again. You know, my life could have been drastically different if all of his had never happened? I may have led a normal life, been able to have a normal job and not spend a good 80 percent of my life living in fear that everyone I loved would die. That's right everyone. And now they are all safe, and breathing, and acting like there is nothing wrong with the world! Breaking up the Auror Department, leaving only a couple on active duty, and the rest on reserve. And now in order to pretend I have lived a normal life, I must move away from all of this.What bull, this is so..."  
  
"Unfair?" A voice she recognized came from behind her.  
  
"Who said that?" Ginny quickly checked, no he wasn't there. What was going on? She had no idea so she continued, " I have to move, so I can stop having physical reminders of all this madness, but everytime I close my eyes, I'm there again. I'm back here in this chamber, back out in the cave, being tortured, seeing things a young teenage girl shouldn't be told about least of all experience. And I survived! YOU HEAR THAT? I SURVIVED! I am alive, and now I can do with my life what I wish!"  
  
The voice interrupted her again, "But are you doing what you wish, what you really desperately truly want in your heart?"  
  
"Listen buddy, I have no idea if you an actual voice of a person or not, but I'm in control of my life, and I know what's I'm doing!"  
  
"But are you doing what you want?"  
  
"I know what I'm doing! Why are you questioning me? Who the heck are you anyway?"  
  
"You still haven't answered me Ginevra, are you doing what you want with your life? Your completely right, your doing exactly what you want. But do you really want it? Are you making a mistake?"  
  
"Of course I am doing what I want, I- "  
  
"Your being compulsive, instead of dealing with what happened your running away, escaping your past, when you know there is someone who knows exactly what you went through, because he was there with you!" The voice was challenging her.  
  
"You know what, nobody went through what I did, nobody can follow me here, where I wanted to vent, and start telling me someone, somewhere understands my pain, my nightmares, not my parents, no Luna, not Neville, not any therapist, not Bill, not Charlie, not Percy, not Fred, not George, not Ron, not Hermione, not-"  
  
The voice stopped her, "Not even Harry?" Harry chose this time to drop his cloak and reveal himself. "Ginny, I know exactly what happened in this chamber, and what happened in the cave, I was there, I saved you and whether you will ever believe it or not, you saved me in many ways. By running off with that bloody American ,you taking the only person who can help me away, you. And you taking the only person you can help you, me and you might as well be throwing me off a cliff. You need me Ginny, and I need you. And you running away and changing your name, don't act like you weren't going to try it, and ignoring me for the rest of your life is going to change of help matters, because we both know the truth."  
  
Ginny was stunned, the voice she had been arguing with had been Harry. He was telling her everything she needed to hear, and she suddenly wanted to hear more but wouldn't let herself. She flew into her defense mode. "Do NOT tell me what I do and don't need to be doing! You don't know what I need."  
  
It was Harry's turn to be angry, "I know exactly what you need, you need somebody who isn't afraid to yell back at you. Who won't take you shit, you need somebody who will confront you at any time. YOU need SOMEBODY who will make you laugh to the point where you pee your pants, and understand why your laughing. YOU NEED SOMEBODY who will hold you when cry like its the end and the world, and the person will understand completely why your scared, angry and confused. YOU need SOMEBODY who will be able to rescue you-"  
  
"I don't always need to be rescued-" Ginny interjected.  
  
"-When you've gone and gotten yourself in any type of a jam. Mick is not that type a man Ginny, he just isn't. He don't know how you got that scar on your knee, from when you were 13 years old and trying to prove to your brothers you were just as good as them, you did it, even though it was pouring rain and lightning and your mother was having a heart attack! He does not know how you got that scar on your upper arm, from when you were trapped in that cave, and Wormtail sliced you open for blood with that knife. Mick doesn't completely understand the fear you felt. But I do, because I lived through it with you. We lived through it together. Let us live out the rest of our days together."  
  
Ginny paused for a minute to let all that information in. Then she blurted out, "Lived is devil spelled backwards."  
  
Harry laughed, "Well, I suppose it is. Well, I'll be a devil if you'll be my angel? We can live that way no?"  
  
"I'm not an angle Harry," Ginny sighed. "And you certainly are not devil."  
  
"That is true, on both counts. I'm not the smartest of guy, Gin, nor the most talented-"  
  
"HARRY! Your the most talented wizard in centuries! YOU CANNOT DENY THAT!"  
  
"Maybe not Gin, but all the power in the world still makes me quite an idiot."  
  
Ginny didn't respond.  
  
"So please, I guess I'm trying to say, let me be your idiot. Don't marry Mitt, or Mick or whatever name he chooses to be called. Don't leave the country. Stay with me here, at Hogwarts, I've accepted the position as deputy headmaster, in a few years Dumbledore wants me to succeed him. McGonagol seems to have lost he ambition. And if you wish, I'm quite sure I can get you a position here. Come on Gin, isn't is tempting?"  
  
It was, but what could Ginny do? She started crying, "Harry, for crying you loud! Do you love me or do you want me to move here with you just to become some spinster!"  
  
"I love you Ginny!" Harry stepped closer to her, yet she stepped back.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry Harry, but I've already made my promise, and I can't, I can't-"  
  
"You can't or you won't Ginevra?" Harry had a feeling he was going to lose.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME BY MY REEAALL NAME! You always do this to me Harry, just when I think I'm happy and going to get what I truly want, you always seem to blow things for me."  
  
"Or do I show you something you've always wanted and never dared dream possible. I love you, no matter what name you decide you be call Ginevra, or where you live, you who you think you love. Nothing you do or say to me can change that. I'll always be here, at Hogwarts, waiting for you."  
  
Ginny was speechless, a man she had loved her whole life loved her back, and now she was going to break his heart. "Listen Harry, I don't want to hurt you but, I can't hurt Mick, he's a good guy, and your nice too but, he spoke up first."  
  
Harry didn't even need to take out his wand, his anger was enough to blast part of the chamber. "THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS TO ME!" Then he calmed slightly and Ginny looked slightly less frightened, he went to say something when Ginny erupted.  
  
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DO THAT!? Any time your angry or stress things break. THAT IS NOT NORMAL HARRY!"  
  
"NEITHER IS RUNNING AWAY GINNY! YOU DO IT EVERYTIME SOMETHING IS NOT GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN!"  
  
"Maybe I'm scared Harry," Ginny answered in a calm voice.  
  
"That doesn't mean you have to go and take off."  
  
"No, Harry, maybe I shouldn't, but it doesn't mean I should stay where I am."  
  
Harry ran his fingers threw his hair, and was reminded of watching his father do it. "Look, you know how I feel Ginny , do what you want." He turned to walk away, "Oh, and have you thought of how you are going to get back up that tunnel?"  
  
She smiled, "No, not exactly."  
  
"Come on, I'm not leaving you down here alone, you'll catch a cold."  
  
"You don't need to worry about me Harry."  
  
"Clearly Ginny, I do." Harry laughed as he put his arm around her and lead her out the tunnel and magicked the two of them back up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Harry luckily remembered to grab his cloak, map, and wand.  
  
They didn't talk as they walked back to their respective rooms. Ginny sighed as she watched him walk up his stairs, why did it have to be him. Of all of the men in the world, why, when he could be with anyone, did he want to be with her. She had Mick, and he loved her, and wanted to marry her. Even though there was nothing for her to do in America. Oh well, she would just have to wait and see which way the Hippogriff flew. Besides, there was no time to worry about that, Ginny thought as she glanced at the clock, in two hours she had to be up and getting ready with Hermione for the wedding. 


	21. The Wedding

Disclaimer: Don't own HP

Chapter 21: The Wedding

Ron was green, and Harry was wondering why he was so nervous. He's getting married, but... Oh well, Ron never liked getting dressed up anyway. Ron, Harry, and all of the Weasley brothers we assembled in a chamber adjoining the chapel in the castle. Mr. Weasley and Granger was in the corner having a spirited discussion of cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery. They all looked sharp in their black tuxedo's and Fred and George were keeping everyone occupied with their impressions of penguins.

Charlie, who was always the twins idol for mischief, pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey. "Just for nerves fella's," and poured everyone a shot.

Ron, looked very relieved and poured himself another, but Harry whisked it and the bottle out of Ron's hand, "Hermione would kill you if you were drunk at your own wedding, in fact, you should probably brush your teeth, she'll smell it on you."

Ron gasped, "Your absolutely right Harry."

Harry laughed and downed the shot and then another. Percy frowned and took away the bottle, "you should definitely not be drinking."

"Right you are sir." Harry laughed and walked out the door, "I'll be back in a bit."

He was prowling down the hall, how dare Hermione get married before and not tell him! Well, well, Harry was just not going to have that. Then a thought struck him, am I drunk? Am I? Did I eat breakfast? Crap, I was a poor man's drunk this morning. Harry laughed, oh well, up the staircase. I hope the stair railings don't disappoint me. Am I even going up the right stairs. This castle is looking slightly different.

Hermione stepped in front of the mirror, she looked amazing. Her normally bushy brown hair was streaked with summer-y shades of blonde, and was sleeked back into an elegant French twist (Her favorite hair style.) Her veil was pushed back for the time being so she could see what she was doing. He dress was strapless, fresh white and has an elegant train. Everything about today was going to be perfect.

But just to be sure, Hermione had taken some precautions. She had a gold galleon shoved in the toe of her right shoe. For something old she had a handkerchief embroidered by one of her favorite aunts when she was a girl. For something new her dress would surfice. She had a borrowed pair of pearl earrings, and blue violets set in in her bouquet of daisies. Everything was going to be perfect.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at her mother, she smiled and the smile was returned, teary eyed, but returned. Mrs. Weasley, who still nagged her and Harry to call her Molly was in the corner, and gave her a wink. She walked over, gave Hermione a motherly hug and whispered in Hermione's ear, "I believe your most definitely the most beautiful daughter-in-law a mother could ask for her son." Molly leaned back and added with a wink, "Just don't tell Fluer I said so, we don't need a Veela's rage raining down on the Weasley house."

Her maid-of-honor, Ginny, who was wearing a glamorous sweeping emerald green gown stepped forward. Ginny didn't have an actual opinion (or wasn't listened to) when Hermione was selecting dress colors. Ginny had protested that is made her look like a Christmas tree, but Hermione and everyone else is the shop disagreed. It was her color. It was Hermoine's day after all, and everything was going to be perfect.

Ginny laughed, "Hermoine, your allowed to smile, your getting married today!"

Hermione and Ginny broke out into very girlie squeals. Molly said, "We'll leave you two alone for a little bit, we've got to go check and make sure that those boy, I mean men, and good and ready, we'll be back when it's time." Then Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger turned and left the room leaving Ginny and Hermione alone. Each girl extremely nervous.

Hermione was nervous because she was getting married to Ron today in front of a whole load of people! She really hated crowds, but Ron wanted the ceremony to be held at the castle, and she really could no think of a better place for the life of her. Everything was going to be perfect.

Ginny was nervous, because she was to be leaving in less than a week. LESS THAN A WEEK! She would be on a plane, because there was no way she would apparate! She would splinch herself all across the bloody Atlantic! And you could forget flooing, she would be robbed, and portkeys were out of the question because they made her nauseous. So she would be flying, joining Mick, her love. And then they would begin planning their wedding. Their wedding... It wasn't that she didn't love him, she just always thought she would be married, here, in Britain to, well, someone else. But that's fate. No use worrying today, today was Hermione's day, and everything was going to be-

Knock, knock knock. Hermione gave Ginny a strange glance, who would be knocking? "I'll get it Hermione," Ginny said as she walked to the door. It opened before she got there.

"Ginny," said Harry in a booming voice as he wrapped his arms around her and began waltzing her around the floor of the room. "You know Ginny, your not supposed to upstage the bride. Truly, maybe we can throw a rag on you and paint of a unibrow so that way Hermione will at least have a chance to be the prettiest girl here today, she is getting married today! And everything is going to be-"

RUINED! Hermione thought, Harry was smashed, bombed, drunk! At her wedding! And he was supposed to be a little bit more sensible than Ron.

Harry was still chatting wildly to Ginny though, "You know you really should marry me some time, we could do it anywhere really-"

"HARRY" Ginny couldn't believe he was drunk, this early in the morning, that with lack of sleep, no breakfast probably, and him still being a rather skinny guy, had left him a little tipsy and Harry always lost his brain to mouth filter when he drinks!

"-and the wedding too." Harry was just warming up when he noticed a rather angry Hermione. "Why hello, do I know you?"

"Yes you stupid prat, you've been friends with me for ages-"

False recognition dawned on Harry's face. "Oh, yes, yes, your that Hermione lass. I vaguely recall you. Your not bad... quite the catch now that I think about it. Why don't you and I get hitched? You've already got the dress, and I'm dressed and showered, and this little lady over her could be my mistress."

"Harry, I'm getting married today to Ron." Hermione reminded him with a giggle. Whatever you said about Harry, he always could pour on the charm when he really wanted too.

"Oh, right you are. I think I'll be walking you down the aisle than?"

"Sorry, but Dad and Mum are." Hermione laughed again, he was so goofy looking.

"Shame," Harry suddenly looked devilish, a rather good look for him in the opinion of Ginny. "I know."

Hermione was puzzled, "You know what?" She was just going to have to go along with the joke.

Harry cleared his throat. "Mrs. Weasley, I know. Or should I say Mrs.Granger-Weasley."

Ginny laughed, "Harry, she isn't married yet."

Hermione was floored and Harry looked victorious. "What kind of idiot do you think I am? You know I have my ways."

"But we took precautions, and it was a spur of the moment thing really."

Ginny had to take a moment, "Your married already? How?"

Harry stepped up to Ginny and began waltzing her again, "Yes, Hermione tell us how you hatched and carried out this daring deed."

"Well, about a month ago, we were in Vegas, on a stake-out-"

"Right," Harry muttered as he lead Ginny slightly left.

"-and we had too much to drink-"

A loud laugh echoed from Harry as he exclaimed, "-Can you ever really have too much to drink?" Ginny shook her head no, Harry was a riot. She was prepared to forgive him for last night.

Hermione continued, "-and we decided not to wait."

Harry brought Ginny closer,"Waiting makes the heart go fonder."

Ginny laughed, "I believe the expression is 'Waiting makes the heart _grow_ fonder.'"

"-It was a good idea at the time-" Hermione was really sounding worried.

Harry interrupted Hermione as he twirled Ginny, "Not good, great! But only in your case, it was bad not to tell me. And Ginny, your good idea at the time is equally as bad. No marriage for the Potter girls, you both are mine!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Your a complete idiot when your drunk." Harry smiled.

"Yes, well anyway, we woke up, married, and realized that our mothers had always wanted a big wedding for us. And well, me being the only wedding my parents were to have, I decided we would just follow through with business as usual."

"I'll keep your secret, no need upsetting anybody, as long a Ginny kisses me and doesn't marry the idiot."

The music in Ginny's head stopped with a screech. What exactly was he asking. And did he mean any of what he said?

The door opened and it was George. "Oh Harry, thank Merlin, I was worried you'd gone and drunk yourself up to Moaning Myrtle's, she's positively howling that you haven't been to see her in ages."

"I'm kind of in the middle of something here Fred," Harry winked as he pulled Ginny closer.

"NOT WITH MY SISTER YOU AREN'T" George grabbed Harry by the neck and threw him out the door. "I'm George you drunken fool. YES YOU! And you'll keep stumbling down that hall if you know what's good for you!" George then turned his attention back to the girls, "I trust that he didn't do anything to embarrass anyone or anything like that?"

The two equal stunned girls shook their head in no.

"Great then, Mum will be up in a jiffy and we will get this show started, and I'll, well I'll sober him up the old fashioned way." George looked devilish, twisted his watch and chased Harry down the hall.

Twenty minutes later Harry was sober, and lined up with the rest of the guys on the alter, waiting for the ceremony to begin. He wasn't feeling too great, but he'd be fine. He could handle this.

Ron looked at Harry as the bride's-maids began walking down the aisle. Harry nodded and whispered in Ron's ear, "I know you've done this before."

The look of pure shock on Ron's face lasted Ron until Hermione walked into the room. Ron's ears turned red, and Harry, like everyone else in the room and Ron himself, wondered how the heck Ron got so lucky.

The ceremony, which was traditionally long and boring to everyone who was hung-over, was making Harry very jittery. He looked away from Ron and Hermione for a minute and noticed Ginny. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL. And then he remembered, he had made an ass out of himself. He was going to have a apologize. He must have been staring because she gave him a funny look and motioned for him to close his jaw.

Harry really must have been staring a long time because before he knew it they were kissing and he was following them out of the chapel and the the party.

After the wedding there was a grand reception in the great hall. Food was served, and the cake was cut. Ginny never so much as look at Harry. It was odd seeing how they kept bumping into each other.

Ron and Hermione danced, then Hermione and her father and Ron and Mrs. Weasley. Then Mr. Weasley with Hermione, then Harry himself got to dance with her. He took the opportunity to apologize to her. "Hermione, about earlier, I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have bothered you."

"Thanks Harry, but I really thought it was rather funny. How did you find out?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh.... how quickly we forget," Harry put on a funny voice, "I am a man with a map."

Hermione instantly understood, then said, "So, your up to your old tricks then I'd say."

"Yes and no."

"Potter, if your planning something dangerous your going to have to put it off until after Ron and I come back from the honeymoon."

"And then nine more months."

"What does that mean?"

"Your a Weasley now, end of story."

"You think your funny don't you Potter?" Hermione tried to intimidate him.

"Yes, I do Weasley." Harry glared then winked.

"I know something about you however."

"OH really? Like I have a scar?" Harry was trying to change the subject.

"Admit it, you love Ginny."

Harry's mouth dropped. If it had been humanly possible it would have hit the floor. "What? How?" Harry was shocked.

"Your not the only one with our ways. I just don't need a map. I saw you staring at her today."

Harry couldn't respond.

"You better not let her get on that plane. If Ginny winds up marry this Mick fellow, nice as he may be, you'll live to regret it."

Harry still couldn't talk.

"May I cut in?" Ron asked as he waltzed near them.

"Of course you can, congrats man, she's a real piece of work." Then under the glare of Hermione, Harry switched partners and added, "In a good way of course."

The two danced off and Harry's partner laughed, "Good save Potter, I thought you may not be able to talk your way out of that one."

Harry's knees when weak. It was Ginny. "Look, Gin, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be, you were drunk. It's okay."

"But-" Harry had to tell her now.

"Harry, let's not get into an argument. Can we just dance tonight? That way you can keep me away from all my brothers and of loads of freaky, smelly men out there?"

Harry swallowed hard as she put her head on his shoulder, "Anything you want Ginevra."

She didn't even protest. All night they danced, and all night Harry didn't tell her. He wouldn't ruin the night with a fight. He wanted to remember her like this. Exactly like this. In his arms, happy, and safe. He wanted to remember.

Before he was ready, Hermione and Ron departed to their honeymoon, leaving all the guests to scamper off on their separate ways. Harry asked, "Ginny everyone's leaving. Do you want me to take you to your room?"

"Just dance with me a little longer." She looked up into his green eyes with her big brown one's and Harry knew he would give her the world if she asked. He wasn't even going to remind her that the music had stopped because the band had gone home.

"Anything you want." Harry sighed as he twirled her one last time, reminded himself to remember the way she smiled in surprise. The way she smelled. The way her copper red hair matched her skin and dress perfectly. The way their hand's fit together. The way her eyes met his. The twinkle in her eye as she noticed he was again staring at her. He needed to remember every little detail; because she would no longer be his come morning and he would not let himself forget.

Sorry this took so long. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading, please review. This is going to be done in a few more chapters. I never planned on making it so long, but it just seemed like the right thing to do.

-Rollingstone


	22. Goodbyes

Disclaimer: It must be obvious by now....  
  
Chapter 22: Goodbye(s)  
  
Harry rolled over; the sun was hitting him right in the eyes, waking him from his dream. The sun always managed to wake him up like that. Especially when he was dreaming. It had been such a good dream. He had danced with Ginny all night. Then later he had told her he loved her and she had melted into his arms and they would spend the rest of their life together. She had stayed the night that night, and they would be together forever, all their past troubles and differences were behind them. She should be right next to him, smiling like an angel.  
  
Harry looked over his shoulder, and there she wasn't. He had danced with her all night though, and he remembered every little detail about her. But she wasn't there. Pain and grief flooded through Harry. And anger, angry at himself for not telling her. He just couldn't bring himself to destroy he guaranteed happiness with Mick and have her join him in a life of love and uncertainties. He refused to hurt her; but if anyone else did he would be right there for her, right after he murdered whoever hurt her.  
  
Harry laid there all morning, waiting for his dreams to become reality. Was she leaving today? Was she leaving a week from now? He couldn't remember. Not that it really mattered, because she was as good as dead to him in America, he knew he would never be able to go over to America; or tell her that he loved her more than anything else. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. He had faced down Dementors, Hungarian Horntails, and Voldemort yet the opposite sex still scared the living daylights out of him.  
  
BANG! The door slammed open and nearly knocked it off the hinges. Harry saw long red hair and thought it to be Ginny; it was Molly, Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Get up you mopey pathetic thing!" Mrs. Weasley yelled as she completely threw back the curtains and pulled the covers off of Harry. Harry silently thanked God for sleeping with boxers on.  
  
"What do you want Mrs.W- I mean Molly?" Harry had to remind himself to call her by her first name.  
  
Molly turned around and verbally attacked him in only a way a mother can and get away with. "YOU'VE SLEPT THE WHOLE MORNING AWAY! YOU'VE GOT TO PACK; WE CANNOT STAY HERE AT THE CASTLE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND! You already missed breakfast and lunch! Almost everyone else has gone home!"  
  
"I am home." Harry said.  
  
"What? What about your house?" Mrs. Weasely had not been told of Harry's plans.  
  
"Dumbledore hasn't announced it yet? About my coming on to be a part of the staff?"  
  
"Oh, well, that makes a little more sense. I wasn't going to say anything, but you do need to find yourself a proper job. I would have thought more along the lines of joining the ministry, but.. as you wish. Seriously Harry, I can understand you leaving full time active duty with the aurors, they are all only acting on minor jobs, but really Harry, ministry work seems like where you belong."  
  
"I am where I belong. I love this castle, it's been my only true home, you house was wonderful growing up, but my own house isn't mine, it's still Sirus's house. I know Hermione and Ron are moving out, and I can't bare to be alone there, not with Ginny moving." Harry looked away, he felt tears, TEARS coming.  
  
Mrs. Weasley sat on the edge of his bed. "You know Harry, I always wanted to adopt you. I have always thought you to be one of my own. I liked thinking that one of my children didn't have flaming red hair." She glanced off.  
  
Harry felt a warm feeling, she had told him, after the war about wanting him to become part of her family, and it always cheered him up considerably. Today however, he was afraid nothing would cheer him up.  
  
"Harry, I've been thinking lately and all of my children have chosen people to love them that I generally like. They aren't all married yet, but I can fix that. All of them have done well for themselves but you and Ginny."  
  
Harry swallowed a lump.  
  
"Now, I don't want for you to take this the wrong way, but recently I had a thought. I was sitting in my living room, after Mrs. Clearwater had left, she was telling me the funniest tale about her son's friends, wife-" She paused with a look from Harry, "I always forget that you men don't like my little stories, I'll continue. I was thinking to myself, it's good really that I never was allowed to adopt Harry."  
  
Harry was stunned.  
  
"Do you want to know why Harry?" Mrs. Weasley was laughing on the inside, Harry could tell. Harry nodded. " I was glad I never adopted you so that way you could marry my little girl and have none of the awkward questions. Dumbledore must have known. That man, after all the years he's been around, he's still right on about some things."  
  
"Um, but Ginny is marrying Mick." Harry said stupidly.  
  
"Clearly you aren't following," Mrs. Weasley bit her lip in a way that reminded Harry of Ginny. "I don't want my Ginevra going to America. I don't want her to marry that nice fellow Mick. I want her to marry you, Harry."  
  
"But, he loves her." Harry said stubbornly.  
  
"He does, yes, but not in the same way you do. Mick is a nice young man, wealthy and intelligent, a mother could ask no better for her daughter. However, I look at him and I think: Does he really have what it takes to keep my dear daughter happy?"  
  
"I suppose he could." Harry yawned, he was still a tad groggy from being up so late.  
  
"He could keep her happy for a year, maybe two. But he doesn't have what it takes to keep her happy for a lifetime, to keep her loved all of her days. And, by the way Fred, George and you tortured him, I think he may not have the skills it takes to survive in the family, and he definitely doesn't have the skills to rescue my little girl."  
  
Harry was scared, for some reason he was really, really scared. "There's nothing really to rescue her from anymore."  
  
Mrs. Weasley sighed, "Harry, there still is a lot to save her from, and one of the major things would be herself. Do you know she still has nightmares? Not as often now, no, but you can relate to her. You can understand. Mick can't. You her night and shining armor. I know it. And so do you. Deep down she does as well."  
  
"Well we can't really say that. We don't really know him."  
  
"Always modest. Harry, your right, we don't know him. He could be horrible and we would never know because she is so far away. I watched you two last night. You stayed with her all night, I know because I set an alarm on her door to alert me as to when she returned. You danced with her until 5 a.m. Harry."  
  
"So, anyone would dance all night."   
  
"The band left at midnight."  
  
"And you point is?" Harry was getting cross.  
  
"And you didn't even try to sleep with her. You look at her like she's the most wonderful thing in the world."  
  
"She is."  
  
"Would you do anything for her?"  
  
"And then some."  
  
"Then get her off that plane she's taking off on tonight. 9 o'clock. If she leaves Britain tonight, it'll be all your fault." Mrs. Weasley didn't even wait for a response. She got up, turned heal and slammed the door behind her.   
  
What the hell I am I going to do, Harry thought to himself. Life just wasn't being fair. The woman he loved was taking off. But she didn't have to, he still had a fair shot at getting her back.  
  
Harry got showered, dressed, ate something and walked around the castle. Surely there would still be some people around. Harry walked up the Gargoyle staircase, and knocked on the door. It opened, showing a very upbeat and energetic Dumbledore. It was always a shock to see a man of that age bouncing off the walls. Fawks, the Phoenix, but flying around the office, trying to stay out of the old man's way.  
  
"Professor?" Harry cautiously asked.  
  
"Why Harry! How do you do?" Dumbledore asked as he magicked some weird instrument off of a shelf and into a large trunk.  
  
"I'm all right, but what on earth are you doing?" Harry asked as robes began folding themselves up and packing themselves into neat piles.  
  
"Oh just a little packing."  
  
"I thought you weren't leaving so soon."  
  
"NO, not so soon. But it is time to get a move on, I've got a lot to pack."  
  
Harry had to agree.  
  
"Not as much as before your fifth and sixth years, goodness you were rather destructive." Harry felt a rather large twinge of guilt. "There's no need to apologize, I've lived too long and collected too many things."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Harry was feeling uneasy once again.  
  
"Look Harry, all I'm saying is that it's time for me to move onto my next challenge, there is nothing left for me to do here."  
  
"Yes there is, you .."Harry really couldn't think of anything left for Dumbledore to stay around for. "I need you though."  
  
"I'll always be here for you, and I'll stay until your settled, but really, after that, it will most certainly be time."  
  
Tears began pouring down Harry's face. He didn't even try to hide them.  
  
Dumbledore dropped an armful of books and gave Harry a fatherly hug. "You are truly the son I never had. I really love you Harry, your dear to me, and I have enjoyed watching you grow and live. I know you'll live a long healthy happy life."  
  
"Yeah right," said Harry darkly as he turned and walked toward the window.  
  
"There is still time Harry."  
  
Harry jumped, he had been lost in his thoughts and had forgotten he was having a conversation with Dumbledore. "Time for what." Harry had a sneaking suspicion he knew.  
  
"Harry, with time, there is always hope."  
  
"Well that's great," said Harry sarcastically.  
  
"Harry, for once in your life, get off the pity party train and take action. Get to the airport and stop her."  
  
Harry didn't even respond. He agreed. It was time to live. It was time to love. It was time to get Ginny. 


	23. The memory

            This was going to be the very last chapter and then I thought of something I needed to close up and I really didn't want to take three days on this one piece so here it goes. The last chapter is coming though L this is sad for me…

                        Disclaimer: I've never known whether or not I really have to do this, it should be obvious seeing how this is a fan fiction site…Anyway I don't own Harry Potter but someday, maybe I'll have my own successful books… I'm not going to hold my breath or anything though… J

                                                                        The Third Option Chapter 23:  The memory

                        Ginny sighed and turned around, looking at all the moving escalators and people chatting happily. She looked at her watch; she had exactly forty-five minutes until her flight was scheduled to board. Hermione hadn't wanted her to leave until she was back from the honeymoon, but Ginny just could not stay in Britain for another single minute. She missed Mick, she loved Mick. She needed him. Well, at least he needed her. He loved her, and he missed her. Sometimes it's just nice to hear someone saying things like that to you. And besides, she was sick and tired of listening to everyone else's problems and being ignored. She was leaving, to go to America. America, a place where anyone can be or do anything they want. Everywhere she went here in Britain, or Europe for that matter, she was the youngest Weasley, and everyone she ever met, ever always put her in a category with at least one of her brothers, because everyone knew at least on of them, or had heard of them. Yeah, that was it: they had heard of them.

She was sick of living her part of the legend, the Boy Who Lived Legend. She was always the helpless victim in the bedtime stories wizard parents have begun telling their children. Well not of the ministry of magic story, but in her second year, and in her sixth. She was sick of it. Everyone thinking they knew the whole story. There was a major problem here. There was to be no happy ending. She had lived the whole fairytale life. She was born to a large, poor loving family. Worked hard in school, did well. Then, Voldemort returned, and everyone's lives went upside down. She was kidnapped, again, and this time she was dealing with the real deal, at his full strength. Once again, Harry saved her. He never remembered how they managed to get out of the cave, but she woke up out of a haze when a huge rock bounced off her head. She felt like dieing. She felt something heavy on her. It was Harry, lying on top of her, trying to protect her, even though he himself was out cold. He looked disheveled, but she knew he was alive, she felt it. It was something that she just could not explain. There was an eerie glow coming from him. She looked around and there was no sign of Voldemort, he must be gone, hopefully Harry had won, for good this time. The music she hadn't paid any attention was getting louder. It sounded strangely like nothing she had ever heard before and still like the most familiar sounds of home. It was filling her with a kind of strength she never knew she had. She went to get up, but she was too weak. She knew now though that she did not want to die. She wanted live with such a force she had never felt in her before. She moved her head slightly to avoid a falling rock, and then she saw the red and gold plumage, it was Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix.

            Ginny went to speak but found her mouth was not cooperating. The rocks had stopped moving. What the heck, Ginny was wondering. Then suddenly, a blinding white light erupted in the cave once again. Was it Dumbledore? She hoped it was. But as the figure moved closer to her, she discovered it wasn't the tall, slender body of Dumbledore. It was two people, or well, they have been people at one point in time. They moved in a liquid motion, as though they were swimming underwater. They swam by the rocks to where Ginny and Harry where. They peered at each other and then nodded.

            Ginny blinked, Harry didn't have a twin, did he? No, recognition dawned on Ginny like a ton of bricks. This was Lily and James, Harry's parents. They were still quite dead, yes, but they were back to do something; to save Harry and Ginny. Ginny peered up into Lily's eyes. She tried to speak but found she couldn't. Lily spoke, "Don't worry, its going to be okay."

            "Don't you want to, well, talk to your son?" Ginny was shocked they weren't trying to wake up Harry.

            James replied, "Of course we do, but there is no way we'll be able to wake him up now. He's a sound sleeper, like his mother…"

            "James Potter! This is clearly not the time."

            "Right Evans…"

            "Listen, later you're going to pay for that one!"

            Ginny laughed, they bickered just like Lupin always said they did. "Excuse me, but I really would love to get out of this cave."

            James and Lily jumped; they clearly had forgotten Ginny was there, "Alright, oh James look at them! They're so young. Do you think they know about their future? About all the fun that awaits them, as a reward for all this madness? "

            "I know it's a shame we have to miss it all."

            "Well, apparently it was for the best." Lily said half-heartedly.

            "It was the only way, but this way they will always have each other." James said as he put a reassuring arm around his wife.

            "Look, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I've been tortured for a good thirty days or so, so if you wouldn't mind getting me out of here before your son smothers me.."

            And suddenly someone was shaking Ginny, and she realized that her eyes were closed. It was a very familiar voice. She was sore. Her legs felt like rubber. Her head was throbbing; her back surely was bruised from the beatings. But apparently she was alive. She was alive.

            "Ginevra, oh my dear little girl, please wake up." It was her mother's voice. Ginny lifted her left eyelid. "Ron! Arthur! Hermione, come over here quickly, she's waking up!"

            Ginny heard several feet stomping across the floor, clearly all her brothers were there with their wives/ girlfriends/ current hook-up. Where was Harry?           

            "Mum," Ginny tried to speak but found her voice was weak, it came out very raspy. "Mum- Lily and James- They were there! I swear! I saw them!"

            Mrs. Weasley clearly was too relived to be listening. That was the first, and last time Ginny ever tried to talk to anyone but Harry about what happened that night. Harry, she learned was still unconscious, and she had just woken up from her own three week recovery.

            Later, in the dead of night, Ginny experienced her first of many nightmares. She sat bolt up. Harry was sitting up, looking at her. Not a word was spoken as she slid out of bed, limped across the floor, and crawled into bed with Harry. She asked him if he remembered anything from the cave, he said not a thing. She should have told him. There was still that lingering doubt in her mind though; it could have just been Fawkes on his own that saved them. Would it have really made a difference when she wasn't really all that sure of what happened herself? She had decided never to mention it unless it came up on its own.

            "Flight 01700 to Kennedy International in New York will begin boarding. Seats 1A through 17J may board." The flight attendant announced over the loudspeaker. Ginny stood up; she knew that in some strange way she and Harry had definitely been rescued in that cave for a reason. She had always believed it was so that they would fall in love. To really fall in love though, not her childish infatuation. Apparently she had been wrong. She picked up her carry-on bag, and out fell her key's to Harry's house. A house he would no longer be living in since he would be working at Hogwarts. She looked at her keys, she had the weird animal keychain things, and then she had a little wallet filled with pictures of everyone she loved. She flipped though it. Her brothers, Hermione, her parents, her friends, and on the very last page, was Harry, in his graduation robes. Well, somehow he had managed to take the picture even though he never attended the actual graduation, they had both been unconscious. Her eyes filled with tears, and she smiled. Goodbye guys, Ginny thought to herself. She was leaving all of them for good. She was never ever going to return. EVER! There was too much hurt, too much pain. And too much…much in general. Some people won't understand what the "much" is, but that's okay, if you lived much, you got it. She was going to go, marry a man who loved her, and have a normal life. She laughed, what was normal for a Weasley anyway? Ginny shoved her keys back in her bag and began walking towards the counter. It was time.

                        WELL??? REVIEW? WHATS GONNA HAPPEN, HUH? He he. I really enjoy writing this all, but I'm a review junky, and I just right now am getting rather hyper, so…………….REVIEW AND THANKS TO YOU FOR READING!


	24. The Third Option

This is sad… The last chapter… I might write a wedding story, I'll post it if I do… It will have a different title though, but you'll be able to tell. I want to thank everyone for reading my sometimes confusing story; it's been a lot of fun!

            To clear something up, Ginny isn't exactly sure that she saw Lily and James, she may have, but then again no?! So… here goes the chapter I have wanted to write. It will explain the title to the story.

            Rollingstone

            Disclaimer: Don't own HP, but I do own this storyline…

                                                                                    The Third Option

                                                                        Chapter 24: The Third Option

            Harry glanced at his watch; her flight was scheduled to be leaving right now. Harry began bargaining with God, Something that everyone does in their most desperate hour. If you just let me talk to her, I'll never drink again. Or, well, I'll only drink once a week. I'll volunteer to help people, maybe…Just let me see her again! Harry was running up an escalator. It was funny how time sped up when you were dreading something, yet slowed when you were anticipating something. He knew not what he would say when he saw her. What could he say? Hi Ginny, hate to be a bother, but it turns out you the woman of my dreams. And I've known it since the first day I saw you, but it took me this long to realize what true love is, and that I only feel it for you? No, that definitely wouldn't work. It wouldn't convince her to stay. Yeah, just convince her to stay, and then tell her you love her. Harry was running to her terminal, and he heard it: The boarding call for her flight. Please, he prayed silently as he sprinted past the rows of empty seats, and towards the line of people waiting to give the flight attendants their boarding passes. Then he saw her.

            She was easily recognizable with her flaming red hair. Her black leather jacket and that hand-bag she always insisted on. He swore she kept every possession she ever could want or need in her bag. The world stopped moving for him, chatter of people bidding farewell to relatives and friends. All noise faded as he walked toward her. She was the last person in line. He reached forward and grabbed the back of her arm, "Excuse me, but aren't you a Weasley?" Stupid thing to say, Harry thought to himself, as he composed his face in a charming smile.

            Ginny made up her mind. She was going. She was going to be last in line, like she was last for everything. She took a deep breath and she smelled something, something vaguely familiar. Then she heard a voice she would recognize anywhere, "Excuse me, but aren't you a Weasley?"

            Ginny whipped around. Just what did he think he was doing? Especially what was he wearing that loathsome green leather jacket for. Well, at least he looked good in it, it suited him. Though, it was extremely out of place in a muggle airport. "Potter, what are you doing here?"

            "The name is Harry, and I'll be your rescuer today." Harry smiled. Damn, why did he have to be charming right now? Of all times!

            "Well, Harry, sorry, but I don't really need a rescuer today. Thanks though." It was almost her turn to go through the line. Damn these muggle security systematic checks.

            "Oh, well Ginevra, if history repeats itself, you need rescuing on this very day." Was he drunk? Why was Harry sweating so much?

            "Oh, I need rescuing do I? And why exactly would that be?" She was going to make him explain himself. It was going to have to do as a parting memory, though she had hoped last night would be it. That was a perfect memory of Harry. Now she had to leave on a sour note.

            "You see here," Harry rolled up his sleeve, showing a rather painful scar. "This is where I was bit by this snake you set loose. Remember that?"

            With a twinge of guilt Ginny replied, "I remember, but come on, I was possessed!"

            "Yeah, but I still rescued you!"

            Was Harry driving at a point here, because she would be reaching the gate pretty soon, and she wouldn't be able to hear whatever his point was? "Harry, yes you saved me then."

            "You know what? I saved the world a lot while I was at Hogwarts." Harry knew he was making a fool of himself. But everything was bubbling out in his mouth. "And after Sirius died, I stopped caring. I really did. I was sure there was nothing left to live for. Nothing that could make all the pain I was feeling stop stabbing me. Then, the first night I stayed at Sirius's house, after he died. I saw you. I saw you alone, in the drawing room, you were reading. And you looked," Harry stopped he was at a loss for words.

            Ginny just stared at him, what on earth was he talking about?

            Harry took a breath and continued, "You looked like an angel. You looked at peace. And I knew I could go on. I knew what I had to do. Then, when you got kidnapped, everything skidded, and I had to save you again."

            "Please Harry," Ginny had tears in her eyes, "Stop, just stop. There is no need to go on about what happened ages ago."

            "Yeah, there is. I went into that cave, not to defeat Voldemort, but I went into that cave to save you. I knew that if you died, a part of me would die. So now, here we are, at an airport of all places. I'm here to rescue you Ginny. To rescue you like you have rescued me, my whole life."

            "Harry," Tears were now flowing freely down Ginny's cheeks. "Harry I don't need a rescuer. I am just fine. There is no danger here."

            "Yes there is. If you go on that plane you'll never come back. I know you. You are trying to run away. There is danger in the fact that Mick doesn't understand what you have gone through. He has heard the stories, met the people, but he didn't live it like we did. He doesn't know what you see in your nightmares at night. I do. He doesn't know the stories behind the scar you carry on your back. I do. I was their."

            Ginny turned her back on Harry. "He may not understand all of that. But he loves me. That makes up for a lot."

            Harry grabbed she arms and turned her to face him. "He may love you, but not like I do! Listen, at the end of fairy tales, the night and shining armor is supposed to have the first rites on the woman he rescues. I rescued you all those times for a reason. So you could continue to rescue me from myself Gin! I love you. I should have told you from the moment I met you. I'm sorry my timing is horrible! I'm sorry it took me so long to come to my senses. But I am not sorry I went through all of that madness. I won't be sorry as long as I get my reward, to spend the rest of my life with you. YOU GINNY! NOT YOUR BROTHERS! I LOVE YOU! I love the way you laugh; the way you won't eat tomatoes in a salad but love ketchup. I love the way you giggle when you're drunk. The way you smile when you dance with me. The way your tears are the saddest thing on earth, I love that Ginny; I love you!" Harry was out of breath, he had been so busy talking that breathing had completely slipped his mind.

            "Are you sorry that you wore that jacket in an airport?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

            "That is one thing I will never apologize for." Harry laughed as he kissed her.

            Fireworks were going off in her head. Harry Potter was kissing her. But she couldn't be with him. He deserved way better. She could just leave Mick. "Harry I'm sorry, I love you but, I can't just walk out on Mick like this."

            "What? YOU BELONG HERE IN BRITAIN!" Harry's outbursts were drawing quite a crowd. "WITH ME, HERE!"

            "Harry, I already promised Mick! I can stay here, with you, and not be a woman of my word. Or I can go to America, keep my word to Mick-"

            "What, and be miserable?" Harry burst in.

            "WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO I HAVE HARRY?" Ginny screamed in frustration. Life was not easy, not in the slightest.

            Harry took a breath, calmed down, "You have a third option."

            "Oh, I do? Would you mind filling me in on what it would be?" Ginny was angry. Why would he tell her he loved her now, NOW OF ALL TIMES?

            "Yes, your third option is to write to Mick, tell him to take care, find a nice American girl, settle down and live the American Dream."

            "And what do you think I am going to do? Sit here in the airport for the rest of my life?"

            "No, your going to calm down, your going to step a little closer to me, so I can put my arms around you.. You're going to let me kiss you. You're going to tell me that you love me too …And then your going to marry me."

            Ginny stepped forward, "Okay, so what makes you so sure that I'm going to not turn around and step on that plane?"

            Harry put his arms around her and kissed her.

            "I love you Harry." Everything made sense. She belonged here. She was going to take her third option and run with it. With time, he would stop wearing that jacket...hopefully….She was in love with a man who loved her back…life was good.

                        Like it? REVIEW PLEASE??!! Thanks for reading. I will write and epilogue and maybe I'll write a separate wedding story… we'll see…

                                    Rollingstone


	25. Epilogue

Hey, thanks so much to all of you who waited so long for the epilogue. I am not sure whether or not to write the wedding story line under this same title so it is easy to find or to start fresh. So after you read this, write to me and let me know what would be best! Thanks a million Rollingstone

The Third Option: The Epilogue

Harry checked his watch; they were going to be late. Why had he let her stop at their house first? They should have just gone straight to the Weasley's and then eloped. Molly would kill them though, so maybe an engagement would be a better idea. "Ginny what are you doing up there?" He hollered up about three flights of stairs.

She answered, "Where is all of your stuff? Are you moving and not telling anybody?"

Harry had forgotten all about telling her of his plans, he sighed and made his way up the stairs to the room where she was. "Gin, do you remember that I had a lot of luggage at Hogwarts, during the wedding?"

"Yeah," Ginny said suspiciously.

"And you know how there is no reason for me to stay at the ministry if there is no Deatheaters or anything to capture."

"But Harry, their will always be bad guys-"

"And I'll let somebody else deal with them. Unless it's an absolute emergency, I do not want to deal with any of it. I've served my time there, and I have killed enough for an army."

Ginny looked up and understood, "So you're going to go back to Hogwarts?"

Harry laughed, "Well, they still need a defense against the dark arts teacher."

Ginny smiled, "That's great and all, really it is… But what am I going to do? Is there a job open there for me as well, or are we going to have to work far apart?"

"Of course, because you see I kind of have some connections there, and I know a few people are seriously considering retiring."

Ginny laughed, "Really, you think those teachers have finally had enough?"

"Oh, I'm sure they could handle another Voldemort in a heartbeat. But you know there is another generation of Weasley's coming up. And I heard a rumor that a pair of them will be twins."

"Yeah, Bill and Fleur will definitely have their hands full." Ginny said as she turned to close the closet door. "Its no less than what they deserve really."

Harry laughed, "Be careful what you say; we might get a handful ourselves."

"Right..." Ginny said as she turned to face him, "So, do you have a ring for me or what?"

Harry choked, where was the ring? He had been so happy just to be in her presence and not have her hate him. "I'll be right back."

Harry darted up another set of stairs, in a room, ran to a bookcase, then he pulled a special book way at the top. The case turned into a door way and then Harry bolted in, pulled open a drawer, pushed back some papers and took out a tiny ring box, it had been his mother's. Lupin had showed it to him years ago. He ran back with the box in hand, down the stairs and to where Ginny was, he was completely out of breath and tripped. Luckilly her back was turned and it appeared that he was on his knee for her when she turned around to face him.

"Oh, Harry, its gorgeous!" The ring was sensational. A fine delicate platinum, goblin made band with a glittering princess cut, canary yellow diamond bordered by two, charming white pearls. The jewels had been placed by faries. It was a masterpiece to look at and was absolutely flawless on Ginny's finger.

"This is so beautiful Harry."

"Yeah it was my mothers, made by goblins and faries."

"Thank you Harry," Ginny said as she kissed him, "Now we really should be going."

"Yeah," Harry said, as he suddenly grew very nervous, they were going to butcher him, her brothers were going to sit him down and give him a huge lecture, the one he used to be a part of whenever Ginny brought a guy over to meet the family.

"Well let's go," Ginny said as she apparated

Harry followed her and met her quickly at the entrance to the Weasley house. For some strange reason Harry landed right in front of her, blocking her from the view of anybody standing directly in front of him.

The door flew open and Mrs. Weasley appeared. "Harry, how DARE you return all by yourself? DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?"

Fortunately for Harry, Ginny stepped out of his shadow quickly enough for Mrs. Weasley to simmer down enough to engulf the both of them in a monstrous bear hug. "Arthur, BOYS! THEIR HERE! THEIR HERE! THEY ARE FINALLY HERE."

Harry gulped, all six Weasley brothers stepped menacingly out of the shadows, followed by their smiling significant others. Hermione ran up to Ginny and began screaming and giggling in a manor that was most unusual for the pair of them in front of people. A pile of other women there crowed around Ginny to see her ring and to ooooohhhhh and awwweee.

"Oy, Harry…are you finally with our little sister?" George said as he raised his eyebrows.

Harry said nothing.

Charlie stepped forward. Harry had always been concerned about the fact that Charlie worked with dragons, now as Harry watched Charlie crack his knuckles he felt sorry for the dragons.

All the brothers kept stepping closer and closer to Harry until Harry worried there wouldn't be enough air to breath for the lot of them in the three foot space they were all occupying. Just when Harry realized that he should probably pulled out his wand ages ago; after all he wasn't considered one of the greatest wizards of the age for nothing; the brothers tackled him in a giant pig pile.

Harry laughed with relief; they weren't going to kill him.

The brothers were all busy congratulating themselves and each other on who was the best at threatening and making Harry pee his pants.

"Did you see how he got all stiff?"

"Did you watch his eyebrows twitch?"

"We should have waited longer to do it!"

"He would've been ten times as mortified!"

Harry disapparated, leaving them all in a pile.Harry sighed, he had escaped murder by the Weasley brothers, and he was now in the clear.

After a long and jovial night, Ginny and Harry arrived back at the house exhausted. "Gin, I am so tired, and can you believe it's already August 10?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs to their room.

"I can, but now I am wondering, what exactly are you going to do for work, now that you've unofficially retired from being an auror? You can't possible be interested in Government?"

Harry sighed; he hadn't wanted to outright tell Ginny of his plans at all. "I was offered a position by a very old dear friend of mine. I felt honor bound to oblige him."

"Where, when, what, and who Harry?" Ginny asked as he clambered into bed. Her eyes unable to open the minute she touched the pillow.

"Well, Dumbledore wants me back at the castle. He feels it would be good for me."

"Harry, your not the teaching type, you've seen too much action to be left on the sidelines now."

"But what is there to do now Ginny, really? Because I fear that I've run out of options." Harry said as he sat on the bed.

Ginny smiled and sat up, "I thought I was all out of options and you showed up at the airport. You told me I always would have a third option. Harry you do too, and besides, you really don't need the money, you can do whatever you want."

"I know you think that being rich will solve everything for me Ginny, but it just doesn't work that way. I need to do something to validate the fact that I've been given a second chance at life. To prove to myself I am more than, than…"

"…Than just a murderer?" Ginny asked in a quiet sort of voice.

"I don't know where you go that from, but your exactly right."

"Luna and I had a heart to heart a long while ago…Harry, you've always felt guilty for doing those things you did, but Harry, you do not have to spend the rest of your life apologizing."

"Luna told you? I haven't talked to her in the longest time. She was always a great friend to me… and look at of I treated her, I completely got all wrapped up in my own problems and forgot about her!"

"Harry, she understands… she had her own life you know. We all went through something together that nobody can understand but us. And between you and me, you're the only person who knows the half of what happened to me."

A small owl swooped in through the open window and dropped a small envelope onto Harry's lap. Harry opened to letter, his eyes moved as he read it and flashed in silent surprise and the envelope dissolved into thin air within his hands.

Ginny, couldn't control her curiosity, "Harry who was that from? What was it about?"

Harry flustered and ever the terrible actor said, "Nobody about nothing."

"Harry, if I am going to marry you, you are going to have to let me in a little bit. You asked me to marry you and-"

"And now I'm stuck with you…" Harry interrupted. Ginny was almost hurt until she saw the mischievous glare in his eyes…

Smack! She had grabbed a pillow and knocked Harry clear off the bed. "Mr. Potter, I'm glad to see your brooding has subsided…At least for now."

"Self pity can only last so long." Harry said as he dove from another blow.

"Shame… I had high hopes for this marriage!" Ginny said laughing, and then waiting the full ten seconds it took to get Harry to realize what she had just said.

"I don't need hope for this marriage Ginevra," Harry said, and then he looked into her deep brown eyes and saw the fire that was always there, the intensity that made Ginny who she was and made him love her, "I have you." Ginny, in spite of the very tacky line, kissed her future husband.

"So Harry," Ginny said at lunch in their garden the next day, "Are you still going to work at Hogwarts."

Harry fidgeted with his fork, "I think I will, at least for a little while. Dumbledore is getting older; he needs someone to help him out. I cannot think of anything else to do, and I might as well do something useful."

"Harry, you've already been useful."

"Right, why don't you just focus on planning our wedding, because I have, well… something urgent to attend to."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with that letter last night would it?" Ginny was not going to play stupid.

"I could tell you love, but then I would have to kill you. All you need to know, is that I have got to go for six months at the most," Ginny's face fell, "But don't worry, I'll be back in time for our wedding. You can still send letters to me, I'll keep in touch. And maybe I can visit once and a while."

"But why are you going Harry?" Ginny was tearful.

"Because Gin, I'm needed somewhere. I made a promise, many years ago and I cannot back down now."

"You made a promise to me too Harry James Potter," Ginny said and her ring gleamed in the sunlight.

"Yeah, and I intend to keep it, but I really have to do this one thing. After I do it I'll be free."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"Nope, your staying here, Hermione may want to be joining you soon. I really have to go and tell Ron, he won't believe it!" Harry got up and was instantly magicked and stuck to his chair.

Ginny, as ever a forceful woman, was not about to be hoodwinked.

"GINNY! What in God's name are you doing?"  
Ginny laughed, "I'm finding out the truth. _Plerishio!_"

Instantly, on Harry's hand an 'X' appeared in a glowing golden light. Ginny was relieved, "So this is a real thing you've got to do?"

Harry was about to answer when Ron burst in and with a wink said, "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"Not at all," said a very grateful Harry, "Did you get a letter?" Ron nodded, "Are you ready to go then?"

"Yeah, Hermione is mad she can't go, but she's got a 'condition'" Ron said as he made quotation marks with his hands.

"Ronald you're an idiot." Hermione said as she stepped into the warm sunlight of the garden behind the house.

Ginny laughed, "I told you that before you even knew him all that well."

Ron put his hands in his pockets, "Harry, we really have got to get a move on. They need us."

"Your right Ron, Gin, I love you and I will be back."

"I love you too, and if you do anything dangerous I am going to have to kill you."

Ron laughed, "Don't worry; he has to marry you before he can die any other way, or else us brothers will kill him."

Everyone said awkward and unplanned good byes in the garden before Harry went upstairs, packed and disapparated with his best friend leaving behind his fiancé and soon to be a very pregnant Hermione.

After they left, Ginny turned to Hermione, "You know what's going on. What are they up to? And is it dangerous?"

Hermione took a deep breath, sat down, "Gin, you're not going to like this. You're not going to like it one bit…"

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO???? Ha-ha... I thought this would make an interesting epilogue… Ok it's not really and epilogue but it sort of shows you how everyone winds up, and besides I think it's more interesting this way. Please review… and thank you so much for reading. I have a couple of stories I am working on that are not published yet but you'll probably like, so be on the look out!


	26. Malfoy Manor

I am soooooooo sorry to all of you who have been waiting so long for me to update. I never intended for things to get so this way but due to some tragic events, (3, yes three), close friends dying in such a short amount of time I felt I needed a break. However, I am back and will try to update all of my stories once a week.

Chapter 26: Malfoy Manor

(A/N-This may start off weird, just keep reading.)

A cruel breeze blew a lock of shockingly white blonde hair across a tired young man's face. The tall, blonde young man checked his watch and impatiently swiped away his hair. They were late...

BANG! Damn it, thought the young man, they could never be cool about anything. Harry and Ron always had to make an entrance; they always had to have the attention, Potter and his big, over inflated head.

Harry Potter stood up immediately with Ron quickly by his side, "We're here Malfoy, and are you ready?"

Draco surveyed them coldly, they had not changed a bit, not that he had expected them too. "Just because you're doing this for me, it doesn't mean... I don't want you to think that, just because of this..." It was unusual for the usually suave and calm Malfoy to stammer. Clearly he was feeling something here.

Harry held up his hand, "Its nothing, because of this I don't expect you to be my friend or anything. After the war, when all was said and done, we made promises to each other, and even though we are totally different people, we are each men of our word."

Malfoy couldn't top that, "Exactly."

So why exactly were these enemies uniting? Because they were going to Malfoy Manor, a mansion that had been left untouched since the end of the war. Only God himself knew what, or who was in there.

The three men turned and began walking up the drive to the stately home. It was a magnificent site to behold, even in its ruins. Built of grey granite, it held its structural integrity, and beautiful, glossy green ivy grew up from the ground and wove its ways over the battered old shutters and to the roof. The flower beds, now overgrown, still lingered mysteriously, impressing Harry who was not expecting or hoping the mansion was still in rather good condition.

He was not hoping that the mansion was in good condition, for if it was, that could only mean one thing, someone was living there.

Ron, who was trying very difficultly to be polite, asked, "Did they ever find your father Malfoy?"

Malfoy shook his head.

They approached a once sturdy looking door; Ron went to open it and was thrown back several feet.

Malfoy laughed, "Clearly the magic here is still strong, it was made to repel all blood-traitors. Here," Malfoy opened the door and motioned them in, "This should be interesting."

"To say the least," muttered Ron.

The three grown men gasped. The house was in perfect condition. No shattered glass from the broken windows, clearly there were no broken windows, they, like much of the rest of the house had been charmed to look abandoned. Clearly someone was living here, and by the looks of things, it had been quite a while.

Malfoy, who's jaw was on the floor quickly wiped the look of shock off of his face and motioned for Harry and Ron to fan out, "I'll go up the stairs, Ron, you check the East and North Wings, and Harry, check the West and South. I've got the upstairs covered."

Malfoy quickly ascended the grand staircase and was gone from site checking rooms along the side opposite the banister.

Ron scoffed, "Who does he think he is to be directing us around like that? Honestly?"

"Perhaps because he is the owner Ron? He did grow up here so he may have some ground on us there." Harry laughed as he began to walk towards the southern wing when he heard it.

It was a high pitched scream, he and Ron both turned just in time to realize Malfoy had been thrown from the banister.

Harry, acting quickly, magicked a stretched to catch Malfoy and laid him down gently. "Malfoy, what's up there?" Harry was anxious to know.

"It's not what, but who." Malfoy stammered.

"Well that's an obvious answer, Harry look at his arm."

Malfoy's arm had a strong red mark on it; like it had been held by an arm, a stronger-then-your-average human arm.

Harry gulped; it could only be one person, one person who would bother to hide for six years.

Ron was as white as a sheet, "Scabbers is here!"

"Ron, honestly I feel like I have to pull a Hermione on you! It's Wormtail."

"Same difference Harry."

"Not quite Ron! But how could he be living here for so long without anyone noticing."

In the meantime Malfoy felt like making a few confessions. "Listen guys, I have a few confessions to make."

"Like what Ferret?" Harry asked, being reminded more and more of how much he could not stand the man lying on the ground like a baby. And regretting more and more the fact that he was so vulnerable after the war and had been hoodwinked into helping Malfoy. Well, this was just going to be a one time thing. Harry was going to finish this bullshit right now.

"Well, I knew he was living here, I just didn't know-"

Ron exploded, "YOU KNEW!?" "How could you know and let him stay when you know that he has been at the top of the ministry's list for years?"

"Well, I thought he may be able to help me-

"I hate to break it to you Malfoy, but you really look like that, and it's a fact that you're going to have to deal with it because nobody can help you with that one bubba." Harry was in no mood for this, he had a beautiful fiancé at home and he really wasn't in the mood for games.

"Listen Potter, you think I like asking for your help, but you two swore to me that day you would help me. There is just not Wormtail up there-"

Ron was annoyed, "Who the boogie man?"

Harry laughed, "No wait, the man in the moon! Yeah that's it. Because Dumbledore mentioned his uncle had disappeared, silly old man"

Malfoy lost his patience. "LISTEN! MY FATHER IS UP THERE!"

It was Ron and Harry's turn to drop their jaws to the floor.


	27. Calling all aurors

Hey, sorry I am such a piece, but I have suffered from a serious case of writers block...I know what I want to write, but actually getting it down right is beyond me so I am throwing caution to the wind and going for it! BY THE WAY GO RED SOX!

**The Third Option**...

27: CALLING ALL AURORS

Malfoy smirked, "Well... we are speechless...."

Ron stuttered, "Well, we've been looking for him for years, we have got to call the aurors-"

"-RON YOU MORON WE ARE THE AURORS THAT EVERYONE WOULD CALL!" Harry yelled, and instantly regretted it. He needed to be cautious, he didn't know the layout of this house and giving his position in the house away would be a very bad idea indeed.

A faint thump was heard by the three men causing them all to jump 3 feet into the air. It grew louder and louder and the men grew increasingly anxious.

Finally it stopped. And that was truly the scary part. "Well Draco... I am saddened to see the friends you have selected for yourself. Tut tut tut...." The main stayed in the shadows.

Malfoy stepped forward, "You completely ruined my life, and do you know how hard I had to work to replenish the family honor?"

"Do you know how many years of therapy he went through to get over your brainwashing?" Ron muttered, and Harry snickered. They were 13 years old again and completely loathing the two other men in the room. They did hate the older more than the younger; it was what Hermione would call progress.

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward into a beam of fading sunlight, showing his scarred and beaten wrinkled and graying face; Harry flushed with pride to see that the most prominent one, a large purple bulge, jetting across his right cheek and grazing his nose, had to be accredited to him.

Memories so long ago buried rose hard inside him. He had been so wrapped up in getting Ginny back that he had forgotten his pain. Maybe that's what she was going to be for him, an antidote to all this poison, which now seemed like a past life. But, the thing that he really could relate with her about was that she had lived through it all as well. She wasn't in the dark, she knew. And he never would have to tell her. She knew. And soon he would be able to marry her. With all their friends and family there, well, their surviving family. It was times like these he wished to have Sirius around. He missed his godfather, even though he only knew the man briefly. In the war he had lost people he had known since his first days at Hogwarts, but Sirius's death was worse for him. He had had a nightmare about it just the other night in fact, but Ginny was there to comfort him. She always had been really... and she....WAM!

Harry was struck by a curse, throwing him hard into the wall behind him. Clearly, the Malfoy's were through with chatting. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw and bald, fat old man scurrying away from the battle. WORMTAIL.

Ginny, who had been napping on the couch in the parlor sat bolt up. Hermione, who had been researching something for S.P.E.W. looked up, "What is it?"

"Harry and Ron, they are at it again!"

"What are you talking about Ginny? You had a nightmare." Hermione sighed.

"You don't understand, they are going to make fools of themselves, I can just feel it, and we have got to go to them!"

"Ginny! You don't even know where they are!" Hermione brought up a good point.

"HERMIONE! I am not kidding! Besides, I know exactly where to find Harry." Ginny's eyes glistened with tears of rage. "Get your coat, get your wand and be out of that door before I count to three of I will..."

Ginny never had to finish her sentence, they were out and on there way.

Well, thats the end of that for now.. I will try to update this and my other stories soon, but its late, I am tired, and I have to get up early tomorrow.


	28. 28

Wow, I guess I've taken quite the break but after the year I've had its understandable. Here is your long awaited conclusion.

The Third Option

Hermione and Ginny were rushing down an old country road when Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm. "Gin, I can't do this, I just can't." The hedges on the either side of the road rustled ominously in the strong wind. It would be raining soon.

Ginny was not having it, "Shush, you've been through worse in worse condition, now get a move on."

"I'm not doing any all out fighting then." Hermione was being cautious, clearly, she had her unborn child to protect.

Ginny, who had began moving again stopped. "I wouldn't ask you to. Just stand and watch the door like a good girl. Oh, and if you could put on a pot of tea when we're done, that would be really spiffy."

Hermione knew what Ginny was doing, and it worked. "Fine have it your way, but if anything happens to me-"

"Why would it prissy-pants?" George interrupted.

Hermione's head swung around so fast that she bumped it into the other twin, Fred, who was close behind her, slightly out of breath.

Ginny was shocked, "What in the name of God do you both think you're doing here?"

Fred smirked, "Please, we've been bored since the war ended, so we're been keeping our ears perked for any sort of 'fun', looks like we've found some."

George put on a aristocratic voice, "However, please do not be angry with us, but it is our duties as brothers and uncles to accompany you lot of this outing. Hermione, you will be in the best of care. You have our word."

Hermione snorted, "Well in that case I should just go home, I'll be more useful there."

"Nonsense, get moving! We're marching to this house the rest of the way there." Fred said as he put his arms around the two girls in a brotherly fashion, and George ran out ahead of them, trimming the hedges into rather "unusual" shapes, which would makes any decent nun blush.

Meanwhile…

Ron looked at Harry, "Ok mate, which one should we deal with?"

He was referring to the options they had: One, stay and watch/try to become involved in helping Malfoy exact his revenge upon his own father. Or, two, go and finish Wormtail off. In Harry's mind, there really wasn't any big question. "Let's get him."

Ron smiled, "Excellent choice."

The two tore off, following the portly bald man as he sped into the heart of the manor.

Crashes could be heard downstairs, but the boys could pay no mind to it now, there was no reason to, they already had their mission and minds made up.

It was once said, revenge is like biting the dog, because the dog bit you. The dog bit you, hurt you, it could even have taken something away from you. Now, most people would leave it as, what a stupid dog and be scared the rest of their lives. Clearly these people were not Harry Potter. Ron was there two, but mostly out of loyalty to Harry, which doesn't make Ron's fight any less noble. But Harry was there to right wrongs committed before he could talk, before he was born. He was there to right a childhood of loss, of pain, of suffering. He was there to have his revenge of a man whose actions had sealed a child's fate. Something no once but God had a right to do. So, from the outside, people may say, you shouldn't bite a dog simply because it bit you, but they, the viewer, the outsider, do not and could not know the whole story. Harry was there to bit the dog, and show it exactly how much it hurts.

Harry and Ron chased Wormtail through rooms, galleries, halls, baths, up turrets, down turrets, they even took a jaunt through a strange zoo, which they hoped had been completely artificially made for it had a odd assortment of feathered elephants with extremely appalling intestinal problems. The room stank.

Finally, on the highest floor, Harry and Ron cornered Wormtail. The man was old now. The years of hiding had not been kind to him; Harry was pleased to see it.

Ron knew his job was to watch, this, no matter how much he wanted to be involved, was Harry's fight; Ron was here to make sure things ended right.

"How", pant, "have you been Harry, you look more like you father now than ever before."

Harry was livid, "How dare you talk about him. Don't mention any names of your victims; I am not here to grant you forgiveness. That job is no longer up to me."

"What are you going to do, kill me?"

Harry laughed.

Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny barged into the main hall, where Malfoy and his Father were dueling.

George was shocked at what he was seeing, "What?"

"Shut up and watch," Fred said. The two magicked popcorn and lawn chairs as only they would do and get away with.

Hermione laughed, and then was shaken as a curse narrowly missed her. "Gin, do you think they've even noticed us?"

"No, who cares if they have? We have to find Harry and Ron."

"That's ridiculous; they could be anywhere in here!" Hermione said, with a slight hysterical tone.

There was a tremendous crashing noise, it sounded like a demolition team was at work. "Ok, well…at least we know what direction to go in." Ginny said in a cheerful tone.

Harry wasn't a cruel man by nature. The years of emotional turmoil had made him have a slight mean streak, which he had always worked hard to avoid, to control and for years he had been successful. A man who loses control of his magic to his emotions is a dangerous man indeed. Harry was throwing every curse he could think of at Wormtail, who was dodging some, being nicked by the rest. Don't feel sorry for Wormtail though, he had picked up some nasty curses of his own in his years since the war officially ended.

Ron wasn't sure whether to laugh or be scared. So he settled on leaning against the wall, then it crumbled from a stray curse, "Ok, take it easy over there cowboy."

Hermione and Ginny burst in moments later. Harry turned in shock, just as he was hit with the killing curse. Wormtail even dropped his wand in shock.

"George, do you reckon we should be taping this?" Fred asked his twin brother.

"Two steps ahead of you man," as he motioned to the cameras floating around the blindingly bright battle, taping it from all directions. "Fred, we're going to be rich!"

"-er, you have to add the suffix, -er, as in we are going to be richer!" Fred stated as he and George magicked large Margaritas and they clinked their glasses, "Cheers".

A burst of Green light erupted in the hall; it crashed down from the ceiling. The beams from the two dueling Malfoy's wand connected and ricocheted off of each other, hitting each and turning them into towering birch trees. Wormtail came next, down and landed with a crash between the two. His crumpled body lay, unmoving. A blinding white light, and a familiar song bounced eerily off the walls of the marble room. A tall, thin old man stepped forward and turned to face the body, in a tired, old bothered voice he said, "You deserve this you know." And with that Dumbledore turned Peter Pettigrew into a marble statue.

The Weasley twins turned to each other with identical grins as they said in unison, "We are definitely going to be rolling in dough after this!"

Dumbledore silenced them with a wave of his arm, "Where is Harry?"

George chuckled, "I would expect right at the top of that hole this one came from," as he motioned to the now immobilized statue of Wormtail.

Dumbledore apparated to where his phoenix, Fawkes, was already.

Ginny sat, crossed legged in front of Harry's body, unsure of what to think. Hermione and Ron sat arms over one another leaning back to the remaining wall. Both thinking what they didn't dare say, Harry may really be dead this time.

Fawkes moved slightly, crying tears all over Harry, as Dumbledore stooped over to see to Harry. After a few moments Dumbledore let out a booming laugh.

Ron looked up, "What's so funny about this?"

"I laugh because, for whatever reason, this man has survived Aveda Kadavra once again."

Hermione coughed, and Ginny looked up into the clear pale blue eyes that belonged to Dumbledore. "Then why isn't he moving?"

"You wouldn't be moving either if you survived." Dumbledore said in his dead-pan style. "He needs rest; we'll take him to the school."

George interrupted, "He's not a student anymore. We should just take him to our hospital, the nurses all know him quite well…"

"No," Dumbledore said firmly, "He'll have no privacy there; we shall take him to the school."

Dumbledore created a portkey and magicked Harry and himself to Hogwarts, leaving the rest so apparate to the village and walk to the school in the dark.

Ron spoke first, "So, is this finally the end?"

Hermione smiled, "I should hope so, how much more of this can any of us survive?"

"Clearly the Malfoy's couldn't take it anymore, they made like a tree and leaf-ed" George tried.

Fred sputtered, "That was insulting to hear, as your brother and partner in crime, I must ban you from using tree jokes for a time, no less than one month."

Ginny cracked a smile she was too worried to handle anything else.

"OY! Hermione, hurry up!" George said.

Ron screamed back, she's pregnant, leave her be!"

Fred and George's faces cracked into identical grins, and Ron regretted telling them. They sprang into action, "been busy eh bro?" Ginny turned and laughed as she passed the iron gates into Hogwarts, Harry was safe, they had finally defeated Lord Voldemort and all his followers, but…she was now sure of it. Nothing about her and her life with Harry, and within her family would ever be safe. So this chapter may close, but the insanity that surrounded her would never be over. She smiled as she climbed the steps to Hogwarts, she had that warm fuzzy feeling from her childhood. The feeling, of security, of happiness, of love. She knew things were not perfect, yet, but else could she expect?

And as for Malfoy Manor, Harry saw to it immediately once he awoke that it was turned into a museum, into a memorial, to those dark days that he was born to end, that he lived to tell about. The tape Fred and George had made had disappeared for the while, but if you're willing to pay you can find it in the back of their shop. Lucius and Draco, stand tall and eerie. They have become a legend in their own right. They stand as a reminder of those terrible days, in the great hall, as living reminders.

Ginny and Harry have been married 2 years and are expecting there first child soon. Harry took the position of Headmaster after Dumbledore's much deserved retirement.

Sorry this took FOREVER. I am done with this story, there is not AMAZING way to end it other than they end up happy and it love… I am considering a spin off… Where Harry is Headmaster. Well.. I suppose you'll have to wait and see.

Review if you like, but only if it's nice! lol.. Do what you want…


End file.
